Inhibitions
by transmutejun
Summary: When the Condor is administered a Galactor drug, the consequences are unexpected. Rated M for sexual situations.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The room was dark, except for the silvery moonlight that entered through the small window in its corner. The woman lay in bed, feigning slumber, but in reality as awake as it was possible to be; every nerve taut with delicious anticipation.

He was coming.

The very thought excited her, although she didn't know why. She didn't know what it was she wanted, although vague whispers at the back of her mind told her that it would be wonderful, exquisite… that the sensations would overwhelm her in a maelstrom she had never experienced before.

Was it this way for all virgins? She did not know. All she knew was that he was coming, and she was desperate for this to happen; desperate for the experience only _he_ could give her.

She was so lost in these thoughts that she nearly gasped in excitement as she heard the door open, but somehow, she managed to remain outwardly calm; her only movement the soft rising and falling of her chest, as she breathed.

She heard his footsteps now, as he crossed the room, slowly easing himself down to sit next to her on the narrow bed. He wore gloves, and she felt them tracing her bare skin ever so lightly, as she remained in her deceptive slumber.

His touch was gone, but only for a few moments, during which time she was almost certain that she heard the soft thud of his helmet being placed on the floor.

His fingers brushed her again, and this time, the gloves were gone. She felt the power in his hands, and knew the strength they were capable of. Slowly, they wound themselves around her neck, caressing her flesh gently, as if he were aware of the enormous trust she placed in him, offering herself to him in this way. Her pulse fluttered in the hollow of her throat, as he held her in his power.

With excruciating slowness, she felt his breath approaching her cheek, growing stronger and warmer as he lowered his face to hers. Just as she felt that he must surely kiss her, his hand caressed her cheek, pushing her hair back from her face.

At long last, she was able to open her eyes, murmuring her soft surprise that he was there, her body tingling with anticipation.

She gazed upon his moonlit face: one that had been familiar to her for nearly as long as she could remember. The tiniest part of her protested her actions. She was not _supposed_ to desire this man. He was supposed to be unattainable; someone whom she would _never_ consider in this manner.

And yet, here he was, and here she lay. She raised her head, ever so slightly, pressing her lips to his, as he eagerly answered her unspoken request.

That tiny part of her was silenced. She was her own self to give, and she could choose whichever man she desired.

Even if that man _was_ the Condor…

88888

She woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air.

She had had that dream again. How many nights had it been now, that these dreams had disturbed her sleep? How long had it been since she had had an uninterrupted night's sleep?

_Too long_.

She sat up, shaking her head jerkily, her hair cascading down her shoulders, left bare by the edge of her nightgown.

She pressed a pale, slim hand to her forehead. _Why_ couldn't she rid herself of these dreams? She was afraid that she knew the answer.

She wanted him.

Her sexual experience was non-existent, yet she heard the men she lived with: heard their whispered discussions, sensed their curious eyes upon her, knew of their rendezvous with various women.

She knew just enough to fuel these desires inside of her. To know what she wanted, but… with _him_?

The thought of it made her stomach curl into knots. The mere idea filled her with dread… and excitement.

It could never _actually_ happen…

Could it?

Slowly, she pushed her nightgown from her shoulders, lying down again on her sweat-soaked bed, her slim fingers tracing their way across her burning flesh. She tried to imagine her dream again; that _he_ was touching her, that _he_ was the one feeling her skin.

It wasn't the same, but it was still exciting.

The image of his face filled her mind, and soon, she was no longer aware of her own movements, only the physical sensations awakening in her, as her body was caressed and stroked.

She envisioned his strong hands, his powerful body covering her own, seeking to give her pleasure, even as he found his own. She was sure that she could pleasure him, even with her inexperience. She wasn't unattractive; she knew that much. And he could teach her everything else she needed to know.

Maybe… just maybe… this dream of hers could become a reality.

When this thought entered her mind, her body exploded with longing, as her caressing fingers brought her physical being to a state she hadn't known she was capable of. She panted with her exertions, reveling in the waves of sensation that washed over her.

Her breath slowed, as a plan began to form in her mind.

The Condor would be hers.

Whether he wanted to be, or not.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning, she was up early, and her dream remained in the back of her mind. In the cold light of day, her plan seemed frivolous, risky, fragile…

And yet, it lingered in her thoughts.

Before attending her scheduled meeting, she took a detour down to the laboratories. The scientists there had been working on something: an interrogation compound that had been ordered weeks ago.

"Good morning, Mistress!" the Head Researcher greeted her with the utmost respect.

"Good morning, Hoskins." Gel Sadra smiled in return. "I gather you have been making progress on the compound I requested?"

"Yes, Mistress!" Hoskins reported, pleased to be able to impart good news to the Galactor Leader. "While there is nothing that can _force_ someone to tell the truth, we have managed to create a serum that fogs the mind from anything else."

"Fogs the mind… What does that mean?" She was intrigued.

"Essentially, the serum disrupts the neural receptors for imagination, and creativity." Hoskins explained excitedly, "Effectively, it prevents the subject from creating a lie. The brain is forced to rely on familiar knowledge: its most basic information."

"But, suppose the subject refuses to speak?" Gel Sadra questioned the Head Researcher. "The Science Ninja Team are known for their resolve, and even if they cannot form a believable lie, they are not easily compelled to speak, if they do not wish to."

"The serum also serves to stimulate the most basic emotions the brain is capable of." Hoskins replied. "That is: pleasure, and fear. The interrogator can choose to use various methods to bring forth these feelings, to manipulate the subject. Subjects who are filled with abject terror, or facing the denial of immensely pleasurable sensations, can be _encouraged_ to speak, particularly if their minds are past thinking about the consequences of their actions, and they are focused on _immediate_ repercussions."

_Past thinking about the consequences of their actions…_ That had a nice ring to it.

"Very good. Excellent work." Gel Sadra was saying. But she was no longer listening to Hoskins' explanations.

The idea that the serum enhanced _pleasurable_ sensations… this opened up many interesting possibilities, all of them linking back to the plan she had so recklessly begun the previous night.

Yes, it could be done.

As the Galactor Leader made her way through the base, her agile mind played with the possibilities, like a child exploring all of the facets of a new plaything.

That was all these dreams were, after all, a _plaything_… nothing to be concerned about… just base desires to be satisfied.

And once they had been satisfied, Galactor would conquer the Earth. Perhaps… perhaps even the very act of achieving these desires would bring the Science Ninja Team under her control.

Leader X would be pleased. He would not care how she did it, as long as she subjugated this planet for his rule.

Yes, this was going to work out _perfectly_.

88888

She began inspecting the latest Beam Cannon. This was the fourth one Galactor had managed to successfully install (she didn't count the ones located in bases that had been destroyed by the Science Ninja Team before they were completed) so she was used to the setup by now.

Quickly, Gel Sadra ran her eyes over the device, checking its design, construction, and installation. All looked as it had in Leader X's original prototype, except…

"What's that?" she asked the Base Captain, pointing at an unfamiliar panel.

"That's to get rid of the bats." the Captain replied. "The caverns above us are filled with numerous species of bats. In our tests, they interfered with the deployment of the Beam, weakening its signal."

"So, what does this do?" She was getting impatient. Why couldn't these people just tell her what was going on, instead of explaining too much, to make themselves sound important?

"It emits various high level frequencies, based on the Leapwave technology Leader X gave us a few months ago." the Captain rushed to explain. "It basically makes the bats think there are large predators around, and keeps them away. We need to initiate these frequencies about an hour before the Beam is to be activated."

"An hour?" Gel Sadra huffed. "That seems like an excessive amount of time. Can't you do any better than that?"

"No, Mistress." the Captain bowed low. "Since this base is located so far underground, we require that amount of time to ensure that the bats do not interfere with the Beam."

"Leader X will _not_ be pleased." the Galactor Leader grumbled, staring at the device, but not really seeing it. Almost unconsciously, her mind returned to her plan for the Condor.

A sudden thought occurred to her.

"Keep working on it." she told the Base Captain curtly, as she swept from the room.

She walked as fast as she could toward her office. It wouldn't do to run, not with all of the men staring at her as she made her way through the Base. After a few excruciatingly long minutes, she reached her destination, shooed out the soldiers performing routine maintenance inside, and locked the door.

It was only then, that she felt it was safe enough to call up the file on her console.

She had been reading it just a few days before… just before she had begun having these dreams. The file contained information on Dr. Rafael, and his cybernetic experiments.

She knew that the Condor was a product of those experiments: in fact, he was Dr. Rafael's crowning achievement. None of Rafael's other subjects had integrated their cybernetic components so successfully into their human bodies. Galactor was therefore doing everything possible to gather information on the Doctor's work, in order to discover what weaknesses the Condor possessed.

Unfortunately, they had not been able to find a weakness, but there was something in this last report that she had recalled, when the Base Captain had been explaining the issue of bats.

Dr. Rafael had also discovered the Leapwave! She confirmed it, looking through the old reports. But more than that, he also used it to send out high-level frequencies that were virtually undetectable.

Galactor's information suggested that Dr. Rafael had placed Leapwave receptors inside all of his cybernetic creations. The supposition was that he used Leapwaves to summon and communicate with his cyborgs, no matter where they were located.

That meant that the Condor likely had such a receptor in his body!

If only she could determine which frequency was the correct one, Gel Sadra could summon the Condor to her, as easily as pressing a button.

Her plan was coming together, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Joe groaned, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. It had been another sleepless night.

It was happening less and less now, but he still had times when his dreams were haunted by memories… memories of lying on the ground outside Cross Karokorum, his life ebbing away, memories of being found by Dr. Rafael, and memories of what had been done to him…

For a while, after the Team had learned what he had become, the dreams had stopped, but of late, they had begun to return. The others accepted what they saw on the outside: a strong, healthy person. They saw a man who was essentially 'normal', despite his cybernetic enhancements.

What they didn't see was the living death encased within his body.

In the past few weeks, Joe had withdrawn from the others. At first, it had been subconscious, but now, it was purposeful. He understood the others noticed his standoffish attitude, but so far, they had left him alone. Yet, a quiet rift was beginning to develop between him, and the other members of the Science Ninja Team.

He didn't like hurting them… his friends… his _family_… but he saw no other way. He was expendable, and even more, he was destined to die, in defeating Leader X. There was no point in staying close to them, only to have them suffer later on. He had some comprehension of how they had suffered, when they had thought him dead, before.

On the other hand, it was as if a cloud of gloom had settled over the Science Ninja Team. The lightheartedness, the joking, the camaraderie that had always characterized the time they spent together, was gone.

There were times that Joe wondered if he was doing the right thing.

This was _definitely_ one of those times.

He rolled over, determined to get some rest, if at all possible.

But as he closed his eyes, he sensed it, calling to him.

The Leapwave.

Usually, when Rafael needed to see him, he sent a signal, and Joe was able to follow that signal to wherever the Doctor was currently located.

But this one was different. It was a hodgepodge: a mess of varying frequencies, all vying at once for attention. He felt as if he wanted to clap his hands over his ears, but he knew that wouldn't do any good, as the sound was coming from inside his head. The cacophony was growing stronger, and could not be denied.

This multitude of frequencies bothered him. It was too sloppy. The meticulous Rafael would never send him something so… messy.

Unless… he was in a hurry.

Joe knew that Galactor was no friend of the Doctor's. Was it possible? Could they have found him, and in his haste to escape, Rafael had not been able to send his usual signal? Perhaps this was even a general signal, to _all_ Rafael-created cyborgs.

Except… Joe was the only one left. Kathy had been destroyed, leaping to her death inside the Vesuvio volcano, holding the Magma Solidification Device she had grabbed from him. And the others, those who had been led by Ulf, had been destroyed by the meteorites, sent by Galactor.

Joe was Dr. Rafael's last remaining cybernetic being.

This could easily be some kind of emergency distress call. Even though it was different from the usual signal, Joe felt that he had to follow it, out of loyalty to the man who had saved his life, albeit, for his own ends.

Well, that, and the fact that the noise was driving him insane.

Realizing that there was no sleep to be had now, Joe returned the signal from within his cybernetically enhanced brain, temporarily nullifying the frequencies as he prepared for departure. However, the necessity of canceling a wide range of Leapwaves was causing him a headache. He was used to only dealing with one at a time.

Grimacing, Joe got out of bed, and began to dress.

As he left his room, the Condor looked quickly down the hallways of G-Town. Good, no one else appeared to be up, yet. The last thing Joe needed was to be asked any questions about where he was going.

The emptiness of the corridors, and the grumbling of his stomach, prompted Joe to duck quickly into the Common Area, to forage for some breakfast. Who knew how long he would be gone?

He had just grabbed some muffins and apples when Jun sauntered into the room. She yawned sleepily and proceeded to the fridge, only noticing the Condor as he moved away from her.

Instantly, her sleepiness was gone. The Swan was on guard: wary, not sure what to say, or do.

Joe hated this. He hated the way everyone tensed up now, when they saw him around. He knew it was an unconscious move on their parts: a reaction to his constant rebuffs, and cold attitude.

But this morning, it was to his advantage. He left the Common Area as quickly as possible, acting like he hadn't even seen her. At the last moment, he thought he saw a tear glistening in Jun's eye.

He nearly stopped then, but the noise in his head erupted again, as if reminding him of his purpose, that morning.

Turning his back on the woman he was closer to than any other, Joe rushed to leave her behind.

88888

The signal was apparently coming from halfway around the world, somewhere in the Ural mountain range. Fortunately, with his high level ISO clearance, Joe had access to forms of transportation the average person did not, and he was able to catch a ride on a high-speed UN Forces transport jet.

He didn't bother to cover his tracks. If anyone investigated, it would be easy to determine that Joe Asakura had been on this flight. But the Condor wasn't worried about that. By the time anyone discovered that he had gone, he would be back already. And if he wasn't… he guessed it was probably just as well that they could figure out what had happened to him. The last thing he wanted was to disappear without a trace, and put his team through the agony of not knowing if he was alive or dead.

_His_ team… Joe sighed, leaning back against the wall of the plane, letting the rumble of its engine soak through his body. Much as he tried to distance himself, he still thought of them that way. That was why had had come back, why had let them convince him to stay. He thought of them, now, as the jet passed over western Iropa.

_Jinpei_. He could be annoying, but Joe knew that the Swallow just wanted to be like him. Although Ken was the one Jinpei called 'Aniki', he complained about the Eagle and emulated the Condor more often than not. Whether or not Joe liked it, he had become the kid's primary role model.

_Ryu_. The Owl was a good friend: solid and strong, both in body, and in heart. He was always there when Joe needed him, even if it was just to sit quietly, offering his quiet companionship. Once rebuffed, he would never pester Joe for answers, the way Ken often did. Joe appreciated that about Ryu.

_Ken_. He had been Joe's best friend for so long, but now… their relationship was sometimes close, sometimes adversarial. Unfortunately, that negative side of their association was becoming more and more prevalent. They hardly saw eye to eye on anything anymore, and with Ken holding the leadership role on the team, explosive arguments were only a natural result. What made it worse was Ken's pigheaded nature. He refused to think that someone _else_ might be right, and in the past few months he had nearly led the entire team to defeat, more than once. Still, Joe felt a strong bond with Ken, and knew that he always would.

_Jun_. It was strange how he thought of Jun last. It was almost as if his mind was trying to get through everything else, so that it could dwell on her. He recalled the look on her face that morning, and the tear that had glistened, unshed, in her eye. Damn, it killed him to push her away, but what else could he do? If there was anyone whom Joe wanted to shelter from pain and heartbreak, it was Jun. She had already suffered enough, because of him.

He remembered when the Science Ninja Team had been re-activated, and he had watched them from the shadows, attempting to help them, without being seen. Jun had been the one who had sensed his presence most easily. Every time she cried out for him, what was left of his heart had nearly split in two, thinking of what it would mean to her… to _him_… to show them that he was alive.

And then, that day in the desert… Jinpei, Ryu and Ken (after his initial doubts) had been happy to see Joe, but it had been Jun who had overwhelmed him with her emotion. When Joe thought about it, he could still feel her in his arms, sensing her joy at his return as she pressed against him, drawing him close to her.

Of all of them, Jun had been the most accepting of him, and his closed nature. She alone had never pestered him for answers, but left him to tell them on his own, once he had made it obvious that he didn't want to talk. It was different from their previous relationship, before he had 'died', when he had been able to tell her anything, but she had been immediately accepting of the change.

Jun and Joe had been close, over the decade or so they had known each other, and Joe knew that that closeness had only intensified, since his return. Only… he wasn't sure Jun understood that, based on the look on her face, that morning.

Was it really necessary, this self-enforced isolation?

The jet hit some turbulence, bouncing the Condor around, and tearing him away from his morose thoughts.

"We're approaching the co-ordinates you gave us, Sir." a UN serviceman approached Joe.

The Condor checked on the signal in his head. The frequencies were converging, suggesting that he had chosen the right location. He got to his feet, grunting his acknowledgement to the young soldier.

"I'll be leaving you, then."

"Sir…" the serviceman protested, "We can't land here. The terrain is too rugged; there's no safe place to touch down."

"You don't need to land." Joe stated grimly. "Just open the jump hatch at my co-ordinates, and I'll go."

"But, Sir, we're at a very high altitude! You would require special equipment, and you would need to be trained in HALO jumps…"

The Condor stopped the soldier's babbling shock with a glare.

"I have my own equipment. I'm going. Just open the damn hatch."

It was _not_ a request.

The serviceman ran off, conversed briefly with the pilot, before returning.

"We are at the co-ordinates now, Sir." he reported, "I'll open the hatch."

"Thank you." Joe grunted, before turning his back on the young man. He pulled a small oxygen mask out of his pocket, strapping it around his face. It would only give him a few minutes' worth of air, but it was all he needed.

The moment the hatch opened, the Condor threw himself out of the plane, into the open sky. The snow-covered majesty of the Ural Mountains lay below him, and for a brief second he was caught up in the incredible beauty of the sight.

The cold air rushed by his face, and he saw the jet departing from its position above him. He plummeted toward the ground for another twenty seconds before it was gone, and he was able to transmute into Birdstyle.

As he emerged as the Condor, the mask ran out of oxygen, and Joe tossed it aside. He used his wings to control his descent, concentrating on the Leapwave signals inside of his head.

Slowly, he guided himself toward the ground, and to the location from which the signal was emanating. It was definitely there, and as he approached the frequencies were converging into something more familiar. It was still strange however, and definitely unlike any other time Rafael had tried to contact him.

The Condor's guard was up, and he made his approach as stealthily as possible, on the lookout for any sign of Galactor.

Once he hit the ground, he returned to his civilian clothes, and continued his journey.

There were no signs of life; only a bare, mountain landscape. But as Joe followed the signal, he had the sensation that he was being watched. Almost unconsciously, he flexed his fingers, ready to reach for a feather shuriken, should the need arise. But for now, he had to appear unthreatening. It wouldn't do for the Condor to be seen approaching this remote location, if Dr. Rafael was, indeed, on the run from Galactor.

He moved along, at a slow, seemingly unhurried pace, carefully examining his surroundings as he went. About thirty minutes after he had landed, he saw it.

A small red light blinked out at him, from underneath two carefully placed stones. Crouching down, as if to tie his shoe, Joe casually reached under the stones, feeling underneath.

There was a button.

As he rose to his feet, Joe passed his fingertips over the button, pressing it lightly.

At first nothing happened, and he moved to continue his journey, but then, he heard a low rumbling sound. Turning, he saw a portion of the previously indistinguishable mountain rock moving aside, revealing a small entrance barely big enough for a man.

Joe looked cautiously at the entrance, questioning its legitimacy. Was it a Galactor trap?

Sighing, he realized that there was no way of knowing. He had to decide if the risk was worth helping Dr. Rafael.

He had a responsibility: one he wasn't about to ignore. Rafael was counting on him.

Grimly, Joe entered the opening. He wasn't at all surprised to find the door closing behind him.

He found himself in a metal corridor, dimly lit by the occasional fluorescent light. Every few moments the lights would flicker, casting strange shadows onto the walls. Joe's footsteps echoed through the lonely passageway.

The entire place had an air of desertion: as if it had once been a busy place, but no one had been there for some time. Briefly, Joe wondered what its original purpose had been.

The corridor went on and on, and Joe realized that he was walking down underneath the mountains. After about an hour, he began to wish he had brought something more to eat, and wondered how much further he would have to walk.

It was at this moment that the corridor suddenly filled with a billowing, white gas.

Joe covered his nose with his t-shirt, and stuck it into his elbow, crouching low and racing away from the spot, but the gas was apparently being released all along the passageway. After a few seconds of exertion, the Condor was overcome by the powerful substance, and sank slowly to the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

How easy it had been! Gel Sadra practically danced with glee as her men dragged the Condor into the small chamber. It took three guards to get his body onto the table, before the restraints were locked around his chest, wrists, thighs, and ankles.

It had been so simple. She had discovered an old base of Katse's that hadn't been used in nearly three years. She had brought along a small handful of men, and a set of Leapwave transmission equipment, playing with the settings until she thought she had sent out an appropriate signal. It had taken some time for her researchers to come up with the likely frequency range. It had only been a guess on her part (albeit an educated one) but it appeared to have paid off.

Condor Joe was now at her mercy.

"Leave us!" she declared, moving her arm in a sweeping motion.

The green-uniformed soldiers rushed out of the chamber, eager to escape their mistress' presence. She had been alternatively moody and elated over the last few days; her moods completely unpredictable. While they had been used to that from Lord Katse, this kind of behavior from their current leader was somewhat unusual, and definitely unwelcome.

Finally, Gel Sadra and the Condor were alone.

Tentatively, she reached out a finger to touch his face. She had memorized it from the Galactor files. She had watched as Katse had tortured this man, yet he had never given up. He had survived the worst Galactor could throw at him, and proven himself stronger.

And since that day, the Condor had become more powerful than ever. Even unconscious, the hard lines of his face spoke of the grim determination that fueled him.

But now, he was _hers_.

Carefully, she took the syringe of serum that had been prepared for her by Hoskins' team, and injected it into the Condor's arm. She was ready for him to wake, now.

But… what if it wasn't enough?

The Condor wasn't completely human: he was a cyborg, and extremely physically fit. He was a large man, with a high body mass. It was possible that one dose of the compound was insufficient to bring on the effect she wanted.

Just to make sure, Gel Sadra gave the Condor a second dose of the serum.

He did not move as she injected him again, but lay still on the table.

For the next few minutes she watched him, studying his features. How different it was, having the leisure to examine him in person, rather than from some impersonal computer file.

Excitement coursed through her veins, as she touched his skin, willing him to awaken.

As she stared at him, a vague recollection surfaced. It was hazy, as if it had happened a very long time ago… before her life with Galactor? She had thought that she didn't remember anything before waking up in Leader X's presence two years ago, but this image was obviously from before that time.

She heard a soft voice speaking to her… telling her a story. Someone was holding her hand, squeezing it gently, then brushing her hair lovingly from her face. The story was about a beautiful princess who had slept for a hundred years, only to awaken when a prince kissed her.

Yes, that was it!

With childlike glee, Gel Sadra bent her head down, pressing her lips against those of her unconscious victim.

But Joe was not unconscious. He had awoken a few moments before, but years of conditioning allowed him to remain still, as he assessed the situation. There had only been quiet rustling noises, and the light touch of someone's fingers on his face, and arms. He felt his restraints, and knew that he was, at least temporarily, a prisoner.

This was definitely _not_ Rafael's lab.

However, the shock of being kissed caused his eyes to pop open, and the masked face before him made the Condor recoil in horror.

"Gel Sadra!" he hissed, attempting to cover his fear with bravado.

What the hell was wrong with him? This overblown psychotic had never frightened him before. Yet now, knowing that he was restrained, and that she could do with him as he pleased…

He had never been more terrified.

A low whimper escaped him, despite his efforts to hold it back.

Gel Sadra smiled, pleased that the serum appeared to be working.

"Condor Joe," she smiled, "I'm so pleased that you decided to join me."

Seeing his fearful expression, she attempted to calm him.

"I'm not going to hurt you." she crooned, in what she thought was a soothing manner. "No, that's not my intention at all. In fact, I think you'll enjoy what I have in mind."

Joe struggled in vain against his restraints. What did she have in mind? He had to get out of here! But, no one knew where he was…

A Birdscramble! In a moment of clarity, he banged his left wrist against the metallic cuff holding it, sending a signal to his Team.

"You need to relax." Gel Sadra whispered, running her hands over his arms. He was powerless to stop her, as she touched his body in ways he had never expected. She pulled his t-shirt out of his jeans, smoothing the palms of her hands over the bare skin of his stomach, her fingers skirting his waistband.

No! God, no… he couldn't think of anything more repulsive, and yet…

He couldn't deny that his body was responding. Despite his every effort, he found himself becoming more and more inflamed, his thoughts focusing only on the sensations her hands were evoking in him. Every time he tried to think of something else, he was blocked. The only thing his mind could process was the pleasure his body was feeling… and the further pleasures it _needed_ to feel. The sensations went on and on, building slowly, but unstoppable in their force.

He didn't know how long it had been, but he soon realized that what was left of his resistance was crumbling. Certainly, these sensations were not unfamiliar to him, but he had never found himself so overwhelmed by them, so _uncaring_ of the consequences of his actions.

Reluctantly, Gel Sadra stopped, pulling back, forcing herself away. She watched as the Condor panted and moaned, enjoying the feel of her touch.

And then, she knew victory as he cried out through clenched teeth, as if resenting the plea he uttered, yet unable to prevent its coming forth.

"Don't… stop…"

The tiniest shred of his logical mind remained, horrified at the words his betraying lips had spoken.

He was unable to stop this. The feverish tide overtaking his body was unstoppable. Even now, his hands twitched in their restraints, not to escape, but to satisfy this furious lust.

But… not with _her_… anyone else… _please_…

An image rose up in his mind. Lush curves danced invitingly before him. Green eyes sparkled flirtatiously, begging him to take the charms she offered.

_Jun_.

Suddenly, his final shred of resistance vanished, as he imagined the Swan touching him, kissing him, embracing him. The sensations he felt were instantly magnified, as his mind encouraged the fantasy to its fullest extent.

Gel Sadra smiled. The serum was doing its work. The Condor was obviously completely overtaken by his lusts, and was practically begging for her attentions. She had taken her time, allowing everything to build, but the anticipation was well worth it.

The moment had arrived.

Slowly, the Galactor Leader pulled a hidden lever, releasing the Condor's restraints. He made no move to escape, but merely writhed on the table, seeking her attentions once more.

She reached out, intending to begin removing his clothing, but as her fingers touched his belt, a powerful rush of heat and force threw her back against the wall.

The door to the room had exploded inward, and as the smoke cleared, Gel Sadra saw a figure in white stepping through the blackened remains of the wall.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Don't move." ordered the Swan, as she aimed her sonic gun at Gel Sadra's position.

But the Galactor Leader was too well-practiced at escape to surrender. Snarling, she flipped her billowing cape around herself, using the distraction to open a hidden panel in the wall. Gel Sadra felt a blast from the Swan's weapon scorch her leg as she ran, but was able to close the opening behind her, preventing her enemy's pursuit.

Jun was frustrated by Gel Sadra's escape, but her primary concern was Joe. She couldn't remember his ever sending out a Birdscramble before, and she knew that things were bad, if he had asked for help in that way.

"Joe, are you all right?" she asked, concerned as her teammate thrashed on the table in front of her.

His eyelids snapped open and he stared disbelievingly into her face.

"Jun…" he whispered, grabbing her shoulders tightly. "You're _real_…"

"I'm getting you out of here." she told him, throwing his left arm around her, even as she supported him with her right. They stumbled through the doorway and out into the corridor.

"This is G3 to Team!" Jun said into her bracelet. "I have G2. He's in bad shape. We're heading back to the ship. Call Pimer for a pickup!"

Ken acknowledged her message briefly, before ending the communication.

"Can you walk, Joe?" Jun asked, concerned. "I took out a dozen goons on the way here, but I'm not sure how many more there are."

His eyes were glazed, and it was obvious to the Swan that the Condor had been heavily drugged with something, yet he did his best to overcome it.

"I'll make it." he said, through clenched teeth. "For _you_, Jun…"

The Swan didn't have time to examine the odd phrasing he used, but pulled him along the passageway, supporting him when he stumbled. She moved purposefully, stepping over the dead bodies of green-uniformed soldiers, as she moved him toward the exit.

"The Auto Swan is here." she told Joe. "Can you hold onto me, as I drive?"

Joe nodded, certain that he could do so. The feelings he had been experiencing in Gel Sadra's laboratory had not receded, and were still intensifying. Jun's appearance had temporarily cleared his mind, but his body was still obsessed with lustful urges, and was nearly impossible to control. Yet embracing the curvaceous Swan around the waist, and pressing himself against her body, was something he knew he was capable of.

The few seconds where she let go of him in order to straddle the bike felt like an eternity, as he agonized over the absence of her touch. Gratefully, he slid behind her, feeling her warmth through her wings, as his arms wrapped themselves around her waist. He buried his face in her shoulder, wishing her hair were free, so he could feel its silky strands on his cheek.

The drive over the rocky terrain was far from smooth, and with every bump Joe's hands grazed the bottom of Jun's breasts. He found himself gasping at every contact with the soft mounds, and only the constant jerking movement of the Auto Swan prevented him from caressing her there.

The New God Phoenix came into view, and Jun flew the G3 into the air, docking with the ship. He uttered a cry of distress as she disentangled herself from his embrace, and stepped off of the bike.

"I'm taking you to the Medical Bay." she said firmly, concerned by the sharp sound the Condor had uttered. She had never known him to cry out like that. Whatever Galactor had done to him, he needed help _now_.

He nodded quickly, willing to do _anything_ to be with her, to keep touching her. But as they moved through the ship, Joe's mind began to drift away from what was happening around him. All he could focus on was the feel of Jun's body next to his, their arms around each other as she half carried him to the Medical Bay.

He felt her stop for a few moments, and while he missed the graceful swaying movement of her hips as she walked, he thrilled in pressing closer to her as she stood.

Jun had come to a halt outside of the Medical Bay, where she found Ken approaching her.

"What the hell were you doing, Joe?" he raged at his second. "How could you run off like that?"

The Condor appeared not to hear the Eagle, instead groaning and leaning more heavily on the Swan's shoulder.

"He's in no condition for one of your lectures, Ken." Jun rebuffed her Commander. "They gave him some kind of drugs, and as you can see, he can barely stand. I need to get him into the Medical Bay, and see what I can do."

The Eagle glared at the Condor, noting his weakened state and blank stare.

"Let me know when he's able to hold a conversation." Ken growled, stalking off toward the Bridge.

Jun shook her head in amazement. She couldn't believe that Ken placed a higher priority on letting out his anger toward Joe, than on bringing the Condor back to his normal self.

Come to think of it, Joe's normal self wasn't that great, either. Lately, he had been cold and distant, acting as if he barely knew the rest of the team. It hurt when he snapped at her, and Jun had found herself becoming distant around him, while mourning for the Joe she had known before. Before… This war had taken a lot out of them, but what hurt the most was what it had taken from Joe.

These thoughts consumed Jun as she laid the Condor gently on the examination table, removed her helmet, and retrieved the supplies she needed.

It was odd, but her touch seemed to soothe Joe. When she had to leave him, even for a few seconds, he cried out, as if in pain. His anguished moans tore at Jun's heartstrings, and she did her best to at least hold his hand, as she performed her tasks.

She withdrew some of Joe's blood, and ran a quick analysis through the computer. As she had suspected, a large amount of an unknown foreign substance had been introduced into his body. She was no scientist, but Jun was able to identify a few stimulants in its composition, and prepared to administer a small sedative, to counteract some of the effect of the Galactor drug.

She held his arm gently, and he ceased his thrashing momentarily as she gave him the sedative.

Joe turned his head toward Jun, a pleading moan escaping his throat.

"Jun…"

Jun didn't know what to make of it. She had never heard Joe sound like that. So raw, so emotional, so… needy…

"Shhhh, it's okay." she whispered, leaning over to gently lay him back down. "The sedative I gave you should help. In about an hour we'll be back at G-Town, and Dr. Nambu can help you. I already sent the data from your blood sample on ahead, so they're working on it now."

Joe barely heard her. The sedative was working its way through his bloodstream, taking the edge off of his urgency, but his passions were as strong as they had been before. He found himself regaining some control of his body movements, but his need still overwhelmed him.

As Jun stood next to the table and leaned over him, her skirt brushed the edge of Joe's hand. Of their own accord, his fingers slipped under the hem, brushing at the bare skin of her thighs that was exposed above her boots.

Jun was startled. She shivered involuntarily as a pleasant thrill ran through her body.

What was wrong with her? How could she be thinking of such a thing when Joe was ill? But as she looked at his face, he didn't appear to be ill. He looked…

She couldn't put a name to the expression on Joe's face, but it was something she had never seen from him, before. She moved closer to him, attempting to look into his eyes, to see if he was even aware of his surroundings.

Joe's fingers slid upward, caressing her thighs, reaching up under her skirt.

Jun gasped. She had not expected Joe to touch her _there_…

A soft moan escaped her lips, as she realized that she had enjoyed his touch. But, this wasn't right; Joe needed rest…

But then, his other hand moved up to the back of her neck, pulling her in for a long, slow kiss that left her breathless. It was immediately clear that rest was the _last_ thing on his mind.

"Joe, I…"

Jun never got to finish her sentence, as Joe kissed her again, this time practically pulling her on top of him as his other hand continued to stroke at her womanhood through the thin barrier of her panties.

A myriad of sensations whirled through Jun's head, but foremost was the feeling that she didn't want this to stop. Joe's touch was unexpected, but exciting, and she found her body responding eagerly to him.

What kind of wanton was she; that she was actually contemplating…

"Please… Jun…"

The sound of his voice brought Jun back to the reality of what was happening. He was asking her for…

But Joe was drugged. Who knew if he was even aware of what he was asking? In the past few weeks he had been pushing her away. What if he regretted his actions tomorrow?

"Joe, we can't." she protested, shaking her head. "You don't know what you're asking. I couldn't do that to you…"

She pulled away, but he spoke again.

"Jun… I _need_ you…"

Those words had obviously cost him great effort. The anguish, the pleading, in his voice was hard to ignore. Jun could never recall Joe asking for help in such desperation.

And truth be told, she was starting to feel that desperation herself. He had continued touching her as she wrestled with her conscience, his fingers stroking her teasingly underneath her skirt. She wanted this… she would never have guessed, even a few minutes ago, that she had such unacknowledged needs, but now these desires were begging to be fulfilled. All that held her back was one simple word…

"Yes…"

Jun could hardly believe that she had said aloud what her mind had been crying out for, but there was no taking it back now. A brief flash of something crossed Joe's face. Relief? She wasn't able to analyze it, as he pulled her close to him, crushing her lips to his, as if the taste of her were all he needed to sustain himself.

Jun hadn't realized it before, but even in his anguished state, Joe had been holding back. Now that all barriers between them had been removed, his movements became more urgent, more insistent.

Their Birdstyles were constructed to withstand all manner of attacks, yet Joe's enhanced strength easily ripped through the fabric of her underwear, exposing Jun's feminine charms to the Condor's insistent demands.

Jun moaned softly as his fingers slid inside of her. Never before had she been touched in this way, and the waves of desire washing over her were an eye-opening revelation. She had never known such urgency, such insistent need…

Despite the lust controlling his actions, Joe was cognizant of Jun's reactions to him. The sedative had allowed him an awareness of his surroundings, and the tiniest measure of control over his actions. He saw the passion rising in her emerald eyes, and her reactions slaked his desires in some measure.

Suddenly, his own needs were far less important than hers. Oh, he needed a release, he needed _her_…. but not as much as she needed _him_. Joe's desire to pleasure the Swan overtook his other physical needs, and his body responded accordingly.

He moved his lips down her body, his teeth scratching at the nearly indestructible pink dress she wore, as his mouth teased her through her Birdstyle. One hand held her lower back, as the other continued to caress and explore her most delicate flesh. He heard her cry out, as her body trembled and collapsed on top of his, but his actions did not cease.

Jun's quiet whimpers mixed with the sounds of Joe's ragged breathing, as her passions rose again. His fingers slipped out of her, and he raised them to his lips. The taste of her on his own skin was more intoxicating than anything he'd ever known. Jun bent her head to take one of his fingers in her mouth, her tongue caressing him, while feeding off of the result of her own lusts.

Joe was beyond his own physical desires. He had felt as if he were going to explode with his passions for quite some time, but had denied himself for so long that now his need had retreated to a dull ache, pushed back by the thrill of Jun's reaction to his touch. He gazed, entranced, at her face, as she released his finger, her eyes reflecting her desires… her desire for _him_. Her lips were slightly parted, as she took a deep, shuddering breath through her mouth.

He kissed her briefly, then slid his body down the table so that it was below hers. Jun lay on her stomach, surprised by his action, crying out as his lips gently grazed her aching flesh.

Joe lay with Jun's boots wrapped around him, resting his cheek on her thigh, his eyes devouring the delicate flower presented to his gaze under the deceptively innocent pink skirt. He tasted her, softly at first, but quickly ravaging the sweetness she offered.

Jun had to stuff her gloved fist into her mouth to keep from crying out, as her body shuddered under Joe's attentions. His touch was far from gentle. The Condor _demanded_, and she willingly gave everything she had… and then more. Her previous lover had been hesitant, and selfish, but _this_… Joe knew what he wanted, and he knew what _she_ wanted, insisting that she reach the heights of pleasure again and again, denying her respite as wave after wave of passion crashed over her. Each time the Swan felt that she was capable of no more, and the Condor proved her wrong.

She was used to submitting to the will of a man in the bedroom, but this was far different. Joe was leading her, but she followed eagerly, at times overtaking him on the path to fulfillment. His unrelenting command of her body was matched by her fervent response, and this wild, demanding ardor was an incredible aphrodisiac.

The Swan gripped at the edges of the table, barely able to hold on as her body surrendered completely to the Condor. Nothing mattered but the feel of his mouth on her flesh, and the fever that held her in its thrall.

The table rocked slightly, but it was not from their passion. They both instantly recognized the feel of the New God Phoenix entering the ocean waters at high speed.

They were approaching G-Town. Jun groaned, rolling over slightly to tear herself away from the Condor.

"Joe, we have to…"

He moved away, the reluctance on his face obvious, but understanding her reasoning. This interlude had temporarily satisfied him, and he was able to release her, as she grabbed her torn underwear. Jun replaced it as best she could before transforming to civvies and back to Birdstyle again, so that the garment appeared as if it had never left her body.

A deep rumbling sound heralded the opening of the door to the Docking Bay at G-Town. Jun unnecessarily smoothed her skirt with nervous hands, not sure how to look at her teammate, given what had just happened between them.

Joe breathed heavily, studying the blushing Jun while the taste of her lingered on his tongue. He quickly realized that far from fulfilling him, their actions of the past hour had only shown him the true source of his desires, and a need that was now greater than ever.

A need that could only be satisfied by the Swan.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Condor's encounter with the Swan had done little to diminish the strength of the Galactor serum in his veins. Before long, he had returned to a state similar to the one he had been in when he had boarded the New God Phoenix.

Jun stood quietly by with the others, watching as Joe was brought out on a stretcher, his eyes glazed over, his limbs twitching. She was already doubting the wisdom of her actions in the Medical Bay. Obviously Joe was seriously ill, and she had used that illness to satisfy her own needs… what kind of person was she? A sense of shame flooded the Swan, and she could hardly look at the rest of the team.

Fortunately, Dr. Nambu was satisfied with the information she had already sent from the New God Phoenix as they were traveling back to G-Town, so she was able to escape any potentially incriminating questions about Joe's behavior during the trip back to base.

But now she found herself sandwiched on a narrow sofa between Ken and Ryu, in a waiting room at the G-Town Medical Center, hoping for news of Joe's condition.

This was especially uncomfortable, given her past history with Ken. Jun couldn't help feeling that she had somehow betrayed him, and her feeling of shame grew.

Years ago, when the Science Ninja Team had still been training, Jun had developed a girlish crush on Ken. She knew that her affections were unreturned, but she harbored a hope that one day, they would be. These hopes grew as she noticed that Ken wasn't interested in other girls, and only spent time with the team… with _her_.

Jinpei had understood her affections for the Eagle, and with his childish straightforwardness had simply told her to declare herself. When she refused, he took every opportunity to tease her about her feelings, no matter how humiliating the situation. Soon everyone on the team knew of her affections… everyone, it seemed, except Ken.

After a couple of years, she had abandoned hope for a romantic relationship between Ken and herself. The Eagle was too involved with his duty to take pleasure in anything else. When he was off duty, his form of relaxation was flying, which was really little more than training for being on duty. He spent time with the team, but it was more to foster a sense of bonding and camaraderie than anything else.

And then, there came the mission where Jun had been swallowed by a Jigokiller Flower. Ken had agreed to set fire to the flowers, potentially killing her, and then he had slapped her once she had returned, and he had realized that she hadn't died. It was at that moment when she had come closest to hating her Commander.

But that night, he had come to visit her at the Snack J, long after Jinpei had fallen asleep. Jun had answered the insistent knock at the door, clutching her bathrobe around her, only to find Ken on her doorstep. He was distraught, and apologized profusely for the way he had treated her.

That night, Ken had said so many of the things she had longed for years to hear: that he had been terrified, thinking that she was dead, that he hadn't wanted to go on without her, that she was the source of his strength, and the only person with whom he could be himself.

Jun had embraced him, and he had clung to her as if she were an emotional life raft. And then, somehow, they had kissed, and they had found their way to her bedroom…

Jun had never been with a man before, and hadn't really known what to expect, but in his emotional turmoil, Ken hadn't realized it. Afterward, he had been horrified by what they had done, and begged her to forget about it. Jun vividly recalled hot tears of humiliation sliding down her cheeks, as the Eagle left in the light of dawn.

And yet, somehow, she had managed to push that night aside, and carry on. She supposed that was what being in the Science Ninja Team was all about. Her night with Ken, while emotionally charged, had been physically and mentally painful, and certainly wasn't anything she cherished. Ken's attitude toward her did not change, and she began to wonder if she had imagined the entire thing.

But then, it had happened again, after Red Impulse had died. Ken had shown up at her quarters at the Crescent Coral Base, grief-stricken, and in need of comfort. This time, it hadn't been painful, but the humiliation afterward was the same.

She was supposed to be intelligent, but Jun found herself falling into the same trap again and again. Over the past few years, Ken had spent a handful of nights in her bed. It was always as he dealt with some emotionally charged issue: the death of his father, the destruction of the Crescent Coral Base, Joe's 'death'… Joe's disappearance had hit Ken especially hard, and she had 'comforted' him three separate times in the month after that terrible day at Cross Karokorum. But then, he had withdrawn from her, and she had barely seen him for eighteen months, until the Science Ninja Team had been re-activated.

Jun presumed that Ken had had other relationships during that time, and it hurt that he hadn't reached out to her, in a time of peace. She had remained aloof, dating a few different men, but never getting serious; always hoping that one day, Ken would return, declaring that he wanted _her_, and only her.

But the next time he had entered her bed had been at G-Town, after their second near-defeat at the hands of Gel Sadra. The psychological stress of their teasing glimpses of a Condor-like figure had taken their toll, and the Eagle was already emotionally battered, from a war that had only just begun.

Ken hadn't approached her since, and more than once, Jun had wondered if she could be satisfied with these rare encounters. She craved an emotional connection: someone she could be with when _she_ needed comforting, but Ken wasn't interested in reciprocating for _her_ needs.

Their physical relationship, such as it was, remained unsatisfying. Every intimate moment was filled with Ken's needs, Ken's desires, _his_ need for release… an atmosphere of guilt, a sense of wrongdoing, permeated their every action. Each time, Jun swore that it would not happen again, and then when it did, she berated herself again.

Jun longed for more, but knew that Ken was not about to give more to her. His life was consumed by his duty, and his need to defeat Galactor. She, of all people, understood that most, and stepped aside for these ambitions, barely subsisting on the emotional crumbs tossed her way by the Eagle.

Even now, as she sat next to him, she felt her thigh crushed against his, and he appeared completely unaware of their close contact. He was confident in her availability, should the need arise, and didn't think about it any more than that.

Still, a sense of betrayal consumed Jun. She supposed that she and Ken had a kind of understanding… she should have considered that, before agreeing to…

But Ken hadn't crossed her mind at all. She had been thinking only of her _own_ desires. This time, _Jun_ had been the selfish one, and she found that it didn't feel any better from this side, either. She had taken what Joe offered without properly considering the consequences, either for him, or for Ken.

How did Joe feel about all of this? If he could even recall anything at all. He hadn't been in his normal frame of mind, and yet, she had let him convince her… well, it hadn't taken much convincing, to be honest. Somehow, the Condor's touch had ignited something inside of her… something she had never felt with Ken. Certainly, the Eagle had never done what the Condor had, just an hour before. She had never imagined that it could be so exciting, having _other_ parts of a man touch her _there_…

In fact, despite their lack of… consummation… Jun had never been so sexually fulfilled. The Swan's cheeks burned red at the memory, and she lowered her head, allowing her hair to fall forward to cover her face. Yet, even through her embarrassment and shame, she craved it again, and desperately wondered what it would have been like, had Joe been able to finish what he had started.

Of course, she would never know. Joe had demonstrated, over and over again, that he didn't want to be close to them, anymore. And she had just violated his desire for isolation in the most complete way possible. Desperately, Jun hoped that the Condor would not remember that hour in the Medical Bay. She couldn't face the anger he would surely hold towards her.

These miserable thoughts ran through Jun's head for another three quarters of an hour, until Dr. Nambu came to speak with the team.

"It would appear that an unknown compound was administered to Joe." Dr. Nambu told them. "We're not entirely sure of its purpose, but we can guess that it was an attempt to manipulate his mind, possibly for the purpose of extracting information from him."

If anything, Jun was even more mortified. Dr. Nambu had just confirmed that Joe had been manipulated, and wasn't in his right mind. What the Doctor didn't know was that the Swan had _also_ manipulated the Condor.

"We think we have been able to remove most of the drug from Joe's system." Nambu continued, unaware of Jun's mental turmoil, "He has returned to his quarters, and will sleep off the little that remains."

"When can we see him?" Ken asked grimly.

"I know that you want to question Joe about his unexplained absence." the Doctor answered. "Apparently, he thought he was responding to a signal from Dr. Rafael. I have informed him, in no uncertain terms, that he is to report any such signals in the future, and that he is not to answer such signals unaccompanied."

The team looked nervously at each other. They all knew that if Joe wanted to leave on his own, he would, orders or no. The mission on K3 had proven that, not to mention his self-imposed absence between the wars. There were many instances where Joe had run off and done what he wanted, ignoring whatever orders were given.

"Go and get some rest." Nambu told them. "You all look like you could use it."

Jinpei yawned, and nodded sleepily, leaving the room. The Owl quickly followed.

Jun purposely hung around, her enormous sense of guilt compelling her to speak with the Eagle.

"Ken, can we talk?" she asked hesitantly.

Ken looked surprised, but nodded curtly. He led her down the hallway, and back to the team's quarters. They walked in silence, neither looking at nor touching each other.

They arrived at the Common Area, and Ken stuck his head inside, confirming that it was empty. Then he quickly drew Jun inside, and closed the door.

"I know what this is about, Jun." he began without preamble.

"You do?" Jun blushed to the roots of her hair. How had he found out? Had Joe said something?

"You want to defend Joe's actions." Ken accused her.

"Well, it wasn't really his fault…" Jun muttered.

"What do you mean, not his fault?" Ken asked angrily, "He shouldn't have left base without telling anyone where he was going! He could have been killed! How the hell am I supposed to lead a team if everyone goes off half-cocked all of the time?"

Oh. Jun sighed inwardly with relief. Ken _didn't_ know anything about what had happened that afternoon.

"You're right, Ken." she said quietly. "Joe shouldn't have run off without permission. We can't operate effectively that way. He could have died this afternoon, and we wouldn't have been able to do anything about it."

A momentary look of surprise crossed Ken's face. He had obviously been expecting an argument on this subject.

"Thanks." he said. "I didn't think you… well… wasn't this what you wanted to talk about?"

"No." Jun shook her head. "I wanted to talk…" She glanced nervously at the closed door, then stepped closer to Ken, lowering her voice to a near-whisper.

"I wanted to talk… about _us_."

The moment she uttered the word 'us', Ken's face took on a stony expression, and he turned away from her.

"There is no 'us', Jun." he said coldly. "I thought you knew that."

"I know." Jun replied, hanging her head. "It's just that…"

"There's no 'just' anything!" Ken replied, whirling back to face her. "Look, I'm sorry if I've led you on, but there's nothing between us."

"So… we have no _obligations_ to each other?" Jun asked softly.

" No." Ken put his hands on Jun's shoulders in a consoling fashion, giving her a pitying look. "Jun, those times we were… together… that was a mistake. I'm sorry, but they should never have happened."

A mistake? Jun began to get angry. Her hand flashed out, striking him across the cheek.

"I guess it was such a terrible mistake, that you had to keep repeating it!" she hissed, her hands now positioned indignantly on her hips.

"I was wrong, Jun." Ken admitted, ruefully rubbing his face where she had hit him. "I shouldn't have taken advantage of your good nature like that. But what's done is done, and that's in the past."

Jun's anger left her. She felt drained, just from these few words. The sense of guilt and humiliation that always followed their intimacy began to overwhelm her.

"So, no obligations?" she repeated.

"No." Ken shook his head. "We have no obligations to each other."

"Okay." Jun said quietly, taking a deep breath. "I guess that's that, then."

"Yes." Ken replied impassively. He left the room without meeting her gaze.

Jun sighed, slumping to the couch in relief. At least, she had nothing to feel guilty about with respect to Ken.

But Joe… she had wronged him dreadfully. Only, she wasn't sure how she was ever going to be able to bring herself to apologize.

88888

As Jun got ready for bed, she was unable to keep her mind from straying to her encounter with Joe that afternoon. Every time she brushed her skin, she wondered what it would feel like, if he touched her there, kissed her there… It was becoming difficult to keep her mind off of the passion she had discovered in herself only a few hours before.

She regretted that she would never know what it felt like to be with Joe in _every_ way. Whether or not he recalled their actions in the Medical Bay, they could never be repeated. She felt terrible that she had taken advantage of his drugged state, but then… it was difficult to feel sorry for what she had experienced. It had been nothing like what she had known with Ken.

Jun snuggled under the covers, but sleep was elusive. She kept remembering the way it had felt, to have Joe's hands… his mouth… on her body. Her skin tingled with the memory, and she brushed her fingers over herself, attempting to recapture it.

It just wasn't the same.

Growling in frustration, Jun turned over, waiting for exhaustion to overtake her.

It would be a long wait.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

In his own bed, Joe tossed himself back and forth, his rest disturbed by thoughts of the Swan.

In his mind, he saw the look of ecstasy on her face as he touched her, heard her soft moans, recalled the taste of her… but it wasn't enough.

He needed more.

Dr. Nambu had been able to remove most of whatever Gel Sadra had administered into of his system, but Joe still felt some aftereffects of the Galactor drug. His body burned, and while he could control himself now, it took some effort to do so.

He tried to think of someone else… _anyone_ else, but it was Jun who kept returning to his mind. She was intoxicating, and in a way, as addictive as whatever Gel Sadra had given him.

Jun hadn't expected his advances, and Joe felt slightly guilty that he had coerced her into satisfying his rampaging desires. Had he taken advantage of her? But then he recalled the look on her face as she had agreed, that breathy 'Yes…' passing her lips. He had been as shocked as she to hear it, but not in a position to question his good fortune. Even more, he had been surprised at how quickly and completely she had followed his lead.

But how did she feel now… now that she had had some time to think about it?

Joe found himself desperately wishing that she didn't regret their encounter. Even more, he hoped that she was sorry that they had been interrupted. The Condor knew _exactly_ what he would have done, had they had unlimited time available to them, and he hoped that he knew what her reaction would have been.

Joe groaned in frustration, unable to come to terms with these feelings still coursing through his body.

Almost of their own volition, his legs fell out of the bed, his feet touching the floor. Clad only in a pair of shorts, he padded across the floor, opening his door and looking out into the empty hallway.

He crossed the few feet of corridor, approaching Jun's quarters. Pausing only for a moment, he knocked lightly.

Barely two seconds later, she opened the door, a look of surprise on her face.

The bright artificial light of the corridor spilled into her darkened room, illuminating rumpled bedclothes, and an equally rumpled Swan. Clad only in her pink nightie, her hair was in charming disarray, as if she too had been haunted by the memory of what they had shared.

"Can I come in?" he asked her.

Quietly, Jun nodded, stepping aside so that he could enter, and closing the door behind him. The only illumination came from her computer console, giving everything a soft bluish glow.

Awkwardly, Jun sat down on the bed, then looked up at him expectantly.

Now that he was here, Joe wasn't sure if he should have come. How could he approach this subject, without offending her more than he likely already had this afternoon?

But he was here, and they had to broach this sometime, so he plunged in with his usual direct style.

"Jun, about what happened today… I just… wanted to make sure you were okay with it."

The Swan looked embarrassed, twisting her hands together in her lap, and staring at the floor before she raised her face to answer him.

"Actually," she whispered, "I had been wondering the same thing about you."

"Oh, I'm okay with it." he said, his words coming out in a rush. "In fact, I'm more than okay with it… I'd…" he stopped, not sure if he was scaring her.

"You'd… what?" she asked, her eyes focused intently on his face.

"I'd like to finish what we started." he said.

A soft smile played at the corners of her mouth, and her body language instantly relaxed.

"Oh!" she giggled, her hand coming to her mouth. "I was worried that you'd be angry…"

"I'm not angry." he said, sitting carefully beside her on the bed. "In fact, I'm grateful…"

She raised a quizzical eyebrow at him.

"I'm grateful that you agreed to… well, you don't know what it was like. I needed… I wanted…"

"The drugs." she interrupted quietly, a look of comprehension coming over her face. "It was a side effect of the drugs."

"Yes," he confirmed, "but all they did was enhance desires I _already_ had."

Jun didn't say anything, but seemed taken aback by his words.

"Didn't you know?" he grinned at her, "I've been fantasizing about you since I was thirteen years old. But I never imagined how _good_ it would feel to actually be with you."

"It was more than good." Jun protested, looking shyly up at him from underneath her eyelashes. "It was incredible, Joe. I've never felt that way, before."

"I can make you feel that way again." he drawled.

"I have no doubt that you can." she replied coquettishly, a brief smile crossing her face, before she became serious again. "But I have to wonder if it's the right thing to do. The residual effects of that drug are still in your system."

"You're right, I can still feel some of it." Joe admitted, "But that isn't the only reason I'm here."

"I find that a little hard to believe." Jun confessed, "You've been so cold and distant lately. Why would you want to be close to me now?"

"I was trying to distance myself from all of you." Joe replied, ashamed of how he had made Jun feel. "I was wrong. The team is my strength. _You_ are my strength, Jun. I'm at least grateful that this afternoon, I had the opportunity to bridge the gap between us, and see that for myself."

"I think you saw a lot more than that." Jun whispered, a flush spreading across her cheeks.

"I did." Joe replied softly, taking her face in his hands. "I saw a woman who is capable of incredible passion… a woman I care about very much."

"I care about you too, Joe." Jun said quietly, as if divulging a secret. "I don't know why you've been pulling away from us these last few weeks, but it hurt that you didn't want to be with us… with _me_… anymore."

"I'm not going to do that again." Joe promised, drawing her into a rough embrace. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. There it was again: her scent. It tantalized him, reminding him of what they had already shared.

Jun raised her face to look at him and he bent down, touching his lips to hers. One kiss became two, and two became more. They exchanged dozens of soft, feathery kisses, Joe cradling her tenderly in his arms as he gently reassured her that he had no intentions of ignoring her again.

Jun sighed, snuggling further into his embrace, as if there were no other place in the world she would rather be. She couldn't remember when she had last been shown any kind of affection. Joe was providing something she sorely needed, and something that she hadn't been aware was missing from her life, until now.

Joe gazed at Jun in wonderment. Suddenly, he felt complete, and the gaping hole in his life that he had been trying to come to terms with for the past two years was gone. And she had been here all along, under his nose.

But, hadn't Jun _always_ been there for him? She had always been the one he came to, when he was feeling morose. She was the one who could be counted on to drag him out of his sour moods, opening his eyes to the happiness in his life. Of course, lately, he hadn't allowed her to do that, and Joe now realized that it was Jun's absence, more than anything, that had been fueling his depression.

She had been the one constant in his life, and without her, his life had been nothing.

For all of his charming reputation with women, Joe found it difficult to express these feelings. Not only had it been years since he had been with a woman, but the flowery compliments, the seductive phrases he was used to uttering, seemed incomplete and insincere, compared with what he wanted to express now.

Gently, he grazed his knuckles down the graceful line of her neck, and attempted to put his thoughts into words. But what came out was entirely different.

"Jun," he began slowly, "I would like to make love to you."

He couldn't believe that he had said that. Of course, he _did_ want to make love to her, very badly, but he hadn't meant to express his feelings in quite that way.

"I'd like that, more than anything, Joe." Jun smiled at him. "But, I have to wonder… how much of this is you, and how much is the remnants of the drug in your system?"

"If you're asking, will I regret this tomorrow?" Joe said, "That won't happen. Yes, I can still feel some effects of whatever it was Galactor gave me, but that's not making my decisions for me, like it was this afternoon."

Jun's eyes searched his face for confirmation of his words, and she was apparently satisfied by what she saw.

"I guess, what I'm wondering is: would _you_ regret this, tomorrow?" he asked her.

Jun appeared thoughtful, as if she were carefully composing her words.

"I could never regret what you bring to my life, Joe." she said. "And since our… time together… this afternoon, I can't deny that I've been wondering what it would be like..."

"I'm not going to have any regrets, Joe." Jun smiled. "In fact, I think I would regret _not_ being with you."

Joe's heart raced, and Jun could see his pulse throbbing underneath his skin as she spoke. For a long moment, he gazed at her, as if in disbelief that they were both there, in each other's arms, admitting their desire for each other.

And then, the residue of Gel Sadra's serum came to the fore, and Joe was lost in the physical sensations her proximity engendered in him.

He had a sudden need to feel his bare skin against hers, and without warning he pulled her nightie over her head; so quickly that it nearly tore in two. Her underwear and his shorts immediately followed suit, as he laid her back on the bed and covered her body with his own.

He was aware of the full length of her form stretching out against him: her soft, smooth skin feeling like an intimate caress where it touched his rough, burning flesh. His hands buried themselves in her ebony hair, losing themselves in the silky strands as his mouth plundered hers for its innocent sweetness. He felt as if he could never get enough of her. Jun's scent, the feel of her skin, the taste of her mouth… they intoxicated Joe beyond belief, and he drowned in the pleasures they freely offered to his fiery desires.

Jun was taken aback by Joe's forwardness, but did not protest this delicious start to their passion. The Condor made love like he drove: zero to ninety in a bare second, moving along at breakneck speeds: embracing the thrill of the race and stretching out the path he followed, to prolong their enjoyment as long as possible. This was no hesitant, fumbling lover such as she was used to, but a man who knew what he wanted, took freely, and gave back in equal measure.

Equal measure? No… that wasn't right. It wasn't possible that Joe was feeling even half as much pleasure as Jun was experiencing, at that moment. The ecstasy of their encounter that afternoon was nothing compared to the rush of desire that now filled every fiber of her being. Her entire body ached for his touch, and Jun cried out in rapture as he moved against her. She was aware of every square inch of her skin and how it felt, crushed against his, yet at the same time it seemed as if she were melting and flowing into him, their bodies merging and acting as one.

Joe's hands slipped out of Jun's hair, past her shoulders and down her slim form. Every part of her was soft, and conformed to his muscular limbs, caressing him more intimately than he had ever imagined possible. The more he touched her, the more his ardor grew, until he felt as if he must surely expire from holding his passions within himself.

Soon, the use of his hands was not enough, and the Condor's mouth moved downward, tasting and pleasuring her as it explored the delicate curves of the Swan. Her neck, her breasts, her stomach, the soft skin of her inner thighs… each part of her body aroused him more than the last, and far beyond what he had ever thought possible.

When he found the coral flesh of her femininity exposed to his gaze, he could not resist. Remembering the honeyed taste of her that afternoon, he drank deeply of her passion, being rewarded for his actions as the very essence of her filled his mouth.

Jun's soft murmurs of delight gradually became frenzied cries, as her head thrashed on the pillow, her body succumbing to the Condor's insistent demands time and time again. Just as she felt that she could take no more he ceased, pulling himself up, so that their mouths came together in an explosion of delight. The mingling of her own pleasure and his tongue was more intoxicating than Jun had ever thought possible, and desperate moans escaped her throat as the Swan's body cried out for completion of the game she and the Condor had begun.

"Jun…"

His voice was harsh and ragged, the one word encompassing the enormity of his lust and emotion for this incredible woman. Her emerald eyes were glazed with desire, and at that moment, the world did not exist beyond the confines of their bodies.

"Joe…"

She ran her fingertips lovingly down his cheek, attempting to express her wonder and her gratitude for the passionate delights he was lavishing upon her. It was impossible to communicate the full extent of her feelings to him, but Joe sensed the bottomless depths of her passion, and was amazed at her generosity in sharing herself so fully with him.

It was only then that she became aware of his hardness between her legs, as it nestled against the entrance to her inner self. The Swan raised her hips, granting the Condor access to her most precious of treasures.

Joe crossed the threshold between two bodies and one, quickly losing himself in her soft embrace. Jun slipped her legs around him, pulling him into their intimacy with an aggressiveness that both surprised and pleased him. More than once he had to pull himself back from the edge, wanting to prolong this excruciating ecstasy for as long as humanly possible.

A tear slipped down Jun's cheek as her mind attempted to grasp the enormity of the physical pleasure she was experiencing at this moment. Whatever happened, she knew that she at last understood the true nature of passion between a man and a woman: something she had only guessed at before, without truly comprehending the full meaning behind such acts. With a sob, she cried out for the man who had shown her what true intimacy could be, begging him to complete what they had begun.

"Joe…. please…"

The naked desire in her voice was too much for the Condor, who found himself eagerly capitulating to her request, his body releasing its pent-up passions over and over again; each wave crashing over him with more force than the previous one. The Swan's soft flesh encased his hardness, rippling with her own pleasure as she soared with him.

"Jun!"

It seemed an eternity before his ardor subsided, and he was able to focus his gaze clearly upon the woman who had brought him there, sharing the experience with him in its fullest measure. Jun lay below him, her hair spilling over her pillow, her eyes closed, an expression of utter peace etched on her delicate features.

"Jun…" he said again, his voice full of tenderness and awe as he lay down beside her, caressing her face with his fingertips. Her eyelids fluttered and her breathing became less shallow as she recovered from her _petit mort_. The Condor had never before known a woman to react in such a fashion to his attentions. Certainly he had never been with a partner who didn't enjoy herself, but Jun's response to his touch spoke of passion on an entirely new level.

"Joe…" she whispered, regaining consciousness, "there are no words…"

"No." he agreed, gently tracing the outline of her nose with a fingertip, then kissing her softly. "There are no words to express my thanks, for sharing yourself with me."

"I never knew, that it could be this way." Jun struggled to explain what she was feeling. "Or that I was capable of…" Her hands fluttered helplessly at her sides, as she found her vocabulary entirely lacking.

"Neither did I." he replied, his eyes drinking in the sight of the Swan, exhausted by her passions and nestling within the crook of his arm. "I've never responded that way to anyone else."

"It's like… we were made for each other." Jun smiled. "I'm so grateful, Joe, that I was able to experience this. It's almost as if…"

Joe looked at her curiously, waiting for her to finish her thought.

"As if _this_ is what we're fighting for." she said.

"Free love?" he asked her, amused.

"No." Jun shook her head slightly. "This… closeness: the ability to share this kind of intimacy in peace. To experience life to the fullest."

The Condor understood. An experience such as they had shared was only possible in an atmosphere of complete trust. Trust in each other, and trust in the future.

A trust he wasn't about to betray.

"It was certainly an experience to remember." he smiled.

"And to think: it nearly didn't happen." Jun sighed happily, snuggling against Joe's chest as he pulled the sheets up over them.

"Remind me to send Gel Sadra a thank you present." he murmured softly, pressing his lips to the top of Jun's head.

But the Swan did not hear him. She had fallen asleep.

Tired as he was, the Condor managed to keep his eyes open for a few moments longer, savoring the feeling of intimacy between them. But at last, he was able to fight his exhaustion no longer, and his head fell to the pillow, his mind filling with pleasant dreams of his graceful Swan.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jun opened her eyes slowly, taking in the sight of the muscled form and chiseled features lying next to her.

"It wasn't a dream…" she whispered to herself, the surreal nature of their shared passion sinking into her mind.

The Swan lay very still, not wanting to disturb the exhausted Condor, who had fulfilled her fantasies more thoroughly than she could have ever imagined, only a few hours ago. She had never woken up in a man's arms like this, and in a way, it was even more intimate than what they had shared the night before.

She breathed slowly, matching the rhythm of her lungs to his, so that her chest rose as his fell, maintaining a constant pressure between their bodies. It almost felt as if they were still connected. Their entwined limbs did nothing to diminish this image in her mind.

Twenty-four hours ago, Jun had cried as Joe had coldly ignored her in the Common Area, before rushing off to answer Galactor's falsified signal. And now…

She could hardly believe what had happened to her. To _them_.

But could it last? Joe had admitted that he had still been feeling the effects of that Galactor compound the previous evening, but by now it was sure to have dissipated from his bloodstream.

Would he still be interested in being with her, now that this catalyst was gone? It was possible that the Condor would return to his standoffish attitude, ignoring her as he had for the past few weeks.

But even if he did, Jun didn't regret their intimacy. The experience was something she would always cherish, and she was grateful that Joe had shown her what true passion could be.

Of course, if Joe _didn't_ want her, she was destined to be alone. Jun would never be able to be with Ken, or likely any other man, after this… after knowing what it _could_ be like, when two lovers were equally matched in passion and spirit.

Uncertainty began to gnaw away at her sense of peace, ruining the precious moment. She reached out, intending to wake the Condor, and find out where she stood.

"Jun…" Joe murmured, as her small movements roused him. His eyes were still closed, but his lips were smiling. "You're really here, with me."

"Yes." she smiled as well. It certainly didn't _sound_ like he regretted their close proximity this morning. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a new man." he grinned, opening his eyes to gaze at her. Slowly, he brushed his hand from her shoulder, down her body, exploring her curves at his leisure. Jun felt herself responding to the Condor's touch, as her body remembered what he had evoked from her the night before.

"Ohhhhh…." she sighed, leaning her head back. "I don't suppose we could…"

But a harsh beeping noise interrupted her request. Red lights flashed on their bracelets.

Grunting his displeasure, Joe rolled onto his back, raising his communicator to his mouth.

"G2 here."

"Joe, I need to see everyone. Meet me in my office in five minutes." came Dr. Nambu's voice.

"Understood." the Condor groaned, reluctantly slipping out from under the sheets and picking his shorts up from the ground.

The moment the communication ended, Jun answered her own summons, receiving the same message.

"So much for sleeping in." she winked at the Condor.

"Maybe tomorrow." he grinned, before slipping through her door and into the hallway.

Jun sighed in frustration. Duty came first. Didn't it always?

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When she arrived in Nambu's office, Joe was already there. He had taken his usual position against the wall, physically separating himself from the rest of the team. A familiar cold mask covered his handsome features, sending a definite chill around the room.

Jun sank onto the couch next to Jinpei and Ryu.

"What do you think this is all about, Onechan?" the Swallow asked her.

"I'm not sure." Jun shrugged. "But I'm sure Hakase will tell us shortly."

"Damned inconvenient timing, as usual." grumbled Joe.

"It's unfortunate that Galactor doesn't consult you before executing any of their plans." said Ken irritatedly as he walked into the room. "On the other hand, I believe the timing of our mission yesterday was entirely in _your_ hands."

It was obvious that Ken hadn't gotten over his anger at Joe's unscheduled absence the day before. The fact that he hadn't been able to reprimand his second had only added to his frustration.

"Hey, that's enough, guys." Ryu tried to pour oil on troubled waters. "Let's just focus on whatever the Doctor is going to tell us." None of them relished yet another confrontation between Ken and Joe. They were becoming all too frequent, of late.

"That's an excellent idea, Ryu." Dr. Nambu remarked dryly, as he entered his office. "We certainly have more important things to attend to, today."

The Doctor turned to the Science Ninja Team, surveying each member in turn, as if to assure himself that they were all giving him their complete attention. Once he was satisfied that this was the case, he brought up the image of a young man on his computer monitor.

"This is Simon Murfitt." he informed the team, as he gestured for them to examine the picture closely. "Until recently, he has been one of our top informants in the Galactor organization. He was trained as an ISO field agent and volunteered to be 'recruited' into Galactor nearly two years ago."

The team nodded, murmuring softly to themselves. They all knew how important agents such as these were to the ISO, and to them. Without the information such men and women provided, the Science Ninja Team would always be at least two steps behind Galactor.

"The data Agent Murfitt has sent to us over the last eighteen months has proven invaluable. It is thanks to his efforts that we know as much as we do about Leader X's Solar Shift Plan. Simon was also the agent who informed us about Leader X's activities in the Oshia Region, before you encountered the Galamoeba weapon."

Ken nodded curtly. He didn't want to be reminded of how his carelessness had trapped the New God Phoenix in an alternate dimension and nearly cost the entire team their lives. The Eagle had underestimated the resourcefulness and ingenuity of Leader X one too many times, and he didn't intend on doing so again.

"Unfortunately, thirty minutes ago, Agent Murfitt sent me an urgent message." the Doctor informed them. "He suspects that his cover has been blown. He is not certain how, but he has requested an immediate pullout."

"And we're being sent to pick him up?" Jinpei asked.

"Ken will be contacting him at the Café du Palais in Nice, France, in two hours." Nambu stated. "Once you have found Agent Murfitt, you will return with him to G-Town."

"This doesn't sound like something we should be doing." Jun pointed out. "Aren't these pullouts usually handled by other ISO agents?"

"You are correct, Jun." the Doctor replied. "In this case, your aid is required, because Agent Murfitt suspects he is being followed. He possesses valuable knowledge about the location of Galactor's bases for the Solar Shift Plan, and the layout of those bases. However, his access to such information, combined with Galactor's suspicion of his loyalties, makes him a prime target for elimination."

"Will I be meeting him alone?" Ken asked.

"I hope not!" exclaimed Joe. "If it's truly that dangerous, he needs backup. I'm going with him."

"Unfortunately, Joe, this mission requires the utmost secrecy." Nambu explained. "We cannot use you, since your face is well known to Galactor. Jun will be accompanying Ken."

Joe grimaced, but acquiesced with as much grace as he could muster.

"We'll get Agent Murfitt out alive." promised Jun. Ken nodded in agreement.

"The rest of the team will await your arrival in the New God Phoenix." the Doctor ordered. "I pray for your success."

"Roger!"

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Exactly ninety minutes later, a graceful young lady bearing a number of shopping bags entered the Café du Palais in Nice, France. Despite her unconventional attire (which could be forgiven for '_les touristes'_) she had an air of elegance about her, and her flashing green eyes immediately attracted the notice of more than one waiter.

"_Madmoiselle, puis-je vous aider_?"

"_Café au lait, s'il vous plait_."

The woman's dazzling smile sent the waiter scurrying to secure her a table. She sank gracefully into the chair her held out for her, seemingly exhausted from her '_faire des achats'_.

Emerald eyes scanned the room in an offhand manner, noting the other patrons seated around the café. Most appeared to be tourists, although a few locals read newspapers while sipping a glass of red wine, and two burly construction workers appeared to be trying to simultaneously order an early dinner and flirt with their waitress.

The lucky waiter attempted to speak with the mysterious woman, but alas, her _Francais_ was limited. _Quelle domage_! In France, beautiful women were _always_ appreciated, no matter their nationality.

A quarter of an hour later, a young man with a Bohemian air (For how else could you describe the rather scruffy combination of longish, unkempt auburn hair and a t-shirt with the number one on it?) entered the café, heading straight to the bar and ordering a beer. Only the young woman noted that he was more interested in giving the _impression_ of drinking, rather than actually imbibing the beverage that was brought to him.

After another few minutes, another young man found his way into the establishment. His curly brown hair, and the splattering of freckles across his face were instantly recognizable to the young woman, who merely smiled speculatively from behind her coffee cup. This newcomer sat down at the bar, next to the Bohemian man, from whom he asked to borrow a cigarette.

"_Desolee_, Monsieur, but I am out of cigarettes." the Bohemian shrugged. "However, I do have some matches."

The young woman could not hear the conversation between the two men, but glanced occasionally in their direction, as if she had only a passing interest in the pair. The Bohemian man passed a matchbook to the newcomer, who placed it in his pocket. But when he removed his hand, the woman could see that the curly-haired man was holding something very small. She watched as he placed the item on the back of the Bohemian's shirt, apparently without notice.

Her café au lait finished, the woman left a few francs on the table (including a generous tip for the waiter who, after all, had been most accommodating) and carefully gathered her bags together. As she began to stand, the two young men left the café together, passing by her table. She moved to follow them, but was pushed rudely aside by the two construction workers, who had apparently decided to return to their wives rather than continuing to pursue the reluctant waitress.

"_Desolee_, Madmoiselle." the waiter rushed to apologize for the ill-mannered patrons, casting a withering glare at their backs.

"_Pas de tout_." the woman waved her hand graciously and departed, leaving an admiring Frenchman in her wake.

Once outside, the woman noted the construction workers rounding a corner into a nearby alleyway, and walked casually in that direction, as if their shared destinations were entirely coincidental.

Once out of sight of the cafe, the shopping bags were quickly deposited behind a nearby bench, and the woman hastened to catch up to the burly men.

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"Where are we going?" Agent Murfitt asked Ken. Despite his urgent request for extraction only a few hours before, the curly-haired man did not appear nervous in the least, but merely curious as to the method with which he was to be removed from the Galactor organization.

"Nowhere, for the moment." Ken replied. "I simply want to ensure that we are not being followed."

"Oh, but you _are_ being followed, Gatchaman." Murfitt grinned, as he pulled a small pistol from his pocket.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." Ken said, seemingly unconcerned with the appearance of the firearm that had appeared so unexpectedly.

"Let's not play games, Gatchaman." Murfitt said, as the two burly construction workers appeared at either end of the narrow alleyway.

Ken merely raised an eyebrow at the man, his face the picture of calm.

"Then, I'll go first." Murfitt grinned, grabbing the corner of his jaw and pulling upward. A thin layer peeled away from his head, exposing an entirely different face underneath.

"I am not Simon Murfitt." the Galactor agent grinned with his revelation.

"And I am not Gatchaman." Ken shrugged.

"Don't give me that!" the agent hissed, his good mood turning to one of irritation. "Your ISO spy told me that Gatchaman himself was coming to 'extract' him. You wouldn't believe the amount of torture it took to get that out of him."

"Information obtained via torture is always suspect." the Eagle said blandly. "The victim will usually say anything his tormentor desires to hear, in an effort to end his pain."

"I am confident in my information." the Galactor smirked. "And so are my friends." He gestured with his pistol, and the burly men produced large rifles, pointed at Ken's chest and back.

"Now, Gatchaman, you will come quietly with me." smirked the Galactor.

Without warning, the burly man in front of the Eagle collapsed to the ground, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, and the graceful form of the Swan was revealed behind him. Even as she completed her drop kick maneuver, her Aurora Ribbon shot out from her hand, looping around the neck of the other man behind her Commander, strangling him where he stood.

The Eagle used his opponent's surprise against him, slamming the Galactor's head into the wall. A sickening crack was heard as the man's skull hit the stone building, and blood trickled slowly from his ears.

"It was a setup." Ken hissed. "They knew we were coming."

"Then we should get out of here." Jun said, quickly returning to her civilian clothes even as she stepped over the lifeless bodies slumped in the alleyway. "Just one thing…"

Casually, she reached behind Ken's back, plucking a small pin from his shirt before dropping it to the ground and crushing it beneath the heel of her shoe.

"Tracking device." she explained.

"Thanks." said Ken, his eyes widening at the sight of the mangled technology. He grabbed Jun's hand and they quickly departed the scene, returning to their rendezvous point with the New God Phoenix.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"They were aware of the contact procedures, and knew that I was Gatchaman." Ken reported to Dr. Nambu, once they were back aboard the New God Phoenix. "It wasn't Agent Murfitt at all, but a Galactor disguised as him. He claimed to have tortured Murfitt for information."

Dr. Nambu sighed heavily, and he appeared to have aged ten years since that morning.

"I was afraid that something like this would happen." he admitted. "Galactor always seems to be a step ahead of us." The Doctor's tone was bitter.

"Should we return to G-Town?" Ryu asked.

"No." Nambu shook his head. "Agent Murfitt was assigned to a Galactor training facility on the Isle of Corsica. We owe it to him, and his family, to see if he is still there."

"Understood, Doctor." Ken acknowledged, as he received the co-ordinates for the base.

"It's likely that they will be prepared for your arrival," Nambu said, "given that their agents did not return."

"We'll be on our guard." Ken promised, before terminating the communication.

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The training facility was apparently located underneath the Ajaccio Citadel in Corsica. The appearance of Gatchaman on the doorstep of the area's most famous landmark was enough to send the local officials scrambling, and the surrounding ten blocks were quickly evacuated, with the Science Ninja Team being given any assistance they required to locate the Galactor base.

It didn't take long. Deep underneath one of the historic Citadel's bastions, in an underground chamber that looked as if it hadn't seen a visitor in the past few decades, they discovered a surprisingly modern-looking door. The door led to a stairwell, which brought them down into the ground, well below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea. At the bottom they encountered another door, this one locked.

"They're going to be expecting us." Ken said, "Draw your sonic guns, and prepare for engagement."

Grimly, the other four ninjas nodded, following the Eagle's orders. Deploying themselves in a standard attack formation, they arranged themselves behind their leader, as he opened the door by means of his weapon.

As one, the five members of the Science Ninja Team leapt through the doorway, weapons ready for any sign of hostility.

There was none.

The chamber they had entered was completely bare, save for a hallway on its other side, running in two directions. There was no sign of any Galactor activity. It appeared as if the base had been hastily abandoned.

"We have to search the entire base for any sign of Agent Murfitt." Ken said. "We'll split up and meet back here in thirty minutes."

"Right." said Joe, turning to depart the room.

"Not so fast, Joe." Ken called the Condor back grimly. "There could still be troops here. We don't need you running off alone again."

Joe's face turned red at the Eagle's rebuke.

"This is just your way of getting back at me for yesterday, isn't it?" he asked angrily.

"I just don't think you should go alone." Ken said smugly, confirming Joe's suspicions. "Jun has proven that she's sufficiently observant today. She will accompany you. Jinpei, Ryu and I will take the other direction."

"I work better alone." the Condor growled.

"Jun goes with you." Ken ordered.

Joe stalked angrily from the room, not bothering to look at the Swan. Jun cast a worried look at Ken, before running after the Condor.

Joe stormed along in silence for a while, his anger trailing behind him like a banner. Jun stayed out of his direct view, but the Condor was aware of her presence all the same.

"What the hell does the Eagle think he's doing?" he yelled, halting abruptly, causing Jun to nearly run into him. He turned back to look at the Swan, his face a mask of anger.

"Look, Joe, I'm not sure what kind of macho competition you and Ken have going on between you, but in this case, he's right." Jun said quietly.

The Condor stared at her incredulously.

"I thought _you_, of all people, would understand." he said bitterly.

The Swan blanched, and the Condor could tell that his words had found their mark.

"Yesterday, you took off without telling anyone and nearly got yourself killed… or God knows what else." she hissed furiously. "This is typical of your behavior, Joe. You're always running off into dangerous situations without considering the potential consequences. It's like you _want_ to get yourself killed!"

The Condor grimaced. Jun had hit uncomfortably close to the truth. He considered himself expendable. He was going to die anyway, so why not take down Galactor while doing it? He turned away so that the Swan wouldn't see his secret reflected in his eyes.

"Didn't you just promise me last night that you weren't going to pull away anymore?" Jun asked angrily. "I guess it was all just a pack of lies, wasn't it?"

Joe's face took on an anguished look, as he placed his hand gently on Jun's arm.

"No…" he said quietly, his anger gone. "It wasn't… I don't want to pull away from you, Jun."

"Then let's just carry on with this, _together_." she replied, uncertain what to make of the Condor's sudden turnabout.

There was still an underlying tension between the pair, but they fell back on the professional detachment they had maintained for years when on missions, and were able to continue with their task.

The corridors and rooms they encountered were all empty. It appeared that the occupants of this base had departed in a tremendous hurry.

"This is interesting." the Condor commented, as the pair came across an abandoned laboratory. A computer console glowed with life, hinting at valuable Galactor secrets.

"It looks like they forgot to turn off all of their appliances when they left the house." he smirked.

As he moved into the room, a panel in the ceiling opened, and a thin black shaft emerged.

"Look out!" cried the Swan, launching herself at the Condor and throwing him out of the path of the weapon. The two ninjas tumbled across the floor, a tangled mess of arms, legs and wings that came to rest at the opposite wall. There was a loud detonation, and the pair looked behind them to see a smoking hole where the Condor had been standing only seconds before. The tantalizing computer console was now dark, its monitor cracked.

"Thanks…" muttered Joe, his surprise still written on his face.

"You're welcome." said Jun. She looked down at their entangled limbs and began to laugh.

"I guess I have a certain sense of style." she giggled.

Joe smiled as well.

"I certainly have no problem with it." he grinned, tightening his arms around her.

For an instant, grey-blue eyes met green ones, and in that brief space of time the tensions between them dissipated.

"Let's finish searching this place." Joe said, standing up and offering his hand to Jun.

"The sooner we get back to G-Town, the better." she winked, setting his pulse racing.

Somehow, the Condor managed to wrench his mind back to the task at hand, and shortly they were continuing down the corridor once again.

"I think this is the only place we haven't checked." Jun said, as they came to a door at the end of the hallway.

Upon opening the door, they realized that they had arrived at the detainment area of the base. Barred cells lined one side of the room, all of them empty.

Except for one.

A body was slumped in the corner of the last cell.

Jun ran over to the still form, then carefully examined his face.

"It's Agent Murfitt." she reported quietly. "He's dead."

The Swan bowed her head in silence for a moment.

"We should take him back with us." she said, reaching out to lift the former ISO agent.

The moment she touched the body, the Condor saw a flash of red light out of the corner of his eye. It looked like… a timer?

"Jun, no!" he cried, grabbing her arm and physically dragging her out of the cell.

There was a loud boom, and the force of a fiery explosion propelled them out of the room and back into the corridor. The cell where Agent Murfitt's body had lain was now a charred mass of blackened, melted metal.

"I guess I owe you one." Jun said, breathing heavily against the Condor's chest.

"No." Joe replied, embracing her closely. "Your safety is all that matters."

"This is what I meant, Joe." Jun whispered, looking up at him. "We operate best as a _team_. We need to work together; watch each other's backs."

The Condor nodded quietly, at last understanding what she had been trying to tell him. It was a few moments before he broke the silence.

"Let's get back to the rendezvous point."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The Swan sat quietly in her seat for the entire trip back to G-Town, reflecting on the agent who had given so much to the ISO, yet whom they had failed to save. The others sensed Jun's mood and gave her the space she needed to reflect on yet another life needlessly lost in this war against Galactor.

When they returned back to base, Ken went to report to Dr. Nambu, and everyone else went for their mandatory post-mission physical. By the time she left the Medical Center, Jun was physically and mentally exhausted.

She was debating just going back to her quarters to get some sleep when she ran into Jinpei and Ryu in the corridor.

"Hey, Onechan, want to join us in the pool?" Jinpei asked her, a hopeful expression on his face.

A swim did sound relaxing to Jun. Besides, she could always soak in the hot tub for awhile and ease the aches from her muscles.

"Sure." she agreed, following the Swallow and the Owl. "That sounds like a good idea."

Barely five minutes later they were all diving into the water. Jun found her exhaustion melting away, as the three ninjas splashed and raced across the pool. She had just performed a graceful dive from the high board when she caught sight of someone entering the pool area, as she swam to the ladder.

"Hey, Joe, want to join us?" Jinpei called.

"I'm just going to do some laps." Joe grunted, turning his back on the trio. He dove into the water, swimming back and forth from end to end, barely acknowledging the presence of his teammates.

"It's like he doesn't want to be on the team anymore." Jinpei complained.

"That's not true." Ryu shook his head. "Why would he have come back, if he didn't want to be on the team?"

"He's obviously got a lot on his mind." Jun said, trying to take the focus of the conversation away from Joe. But it wasn't possible, with the Condor on the other side of the pool, acting as if they weren't even in the room. Not too long after, Jun, Jinpei and Ryu went to the hot tub, leaving the Condor to his self-imposed solitude.

Joe finished his lap, then watched his three teammates from the other end of the pool. He hadn't noticed them leaving at first, as he had been concentrating on his swimming. The additional weight of his cyborg body made flotation difficult, and he had found himself having to re-learn an ability he had once taken for granted. Even a few laps were an effort for him now, but the exercise and the usefulness of the skill made him continue to work at it.

He watched Jun enter the hot tub, scarcely able to tear his eyes away from the sight of her in a bikini. It teased him, hinting at their shared activities the previous night, and its pink color was reminiscent of the Swan's Birdstyle. That miniskirt had been taunting him for years with its tantalizing glimpses of white panties, but he had never actually expected to see the treasures that lay underneath.

Until yesterday.

The Condor no longer felt the water lapping at his chest as he rested by the side of the pool. All he was aware of was the tightening sensation between his legs, and the tingling of his skin.

Joe was still taking in the events of the previous day. He had acted mostly on instinct, and immediate need, but it was only when doing so that he had realized that the desire wasn't momentary, but something that had lain quietly beneath the surface of his emotions for years. He and Jun had always been close; turning to each other in times of emotional distress. Joe supposed that the only reason he hadn't seriously contemplated this kind of relationship with her before was because of Ken.

Ken… Jun had had a crush on him for years. As far as Joe knew, her feelings had always gone unreturned, but then, he had missed two years when he had been in Dr. Rafael's lab. Still, if anything, Ken had appeared to be even more distant with Jun since Joe's return. At one time, Joe had tried to broach the subject with the Eagle, but Ken had shut him down so quickly that he had never tried again.

That hadn't been the case with Jun. Joe couldn't count the number of times when she had sobbed into his shoulder, needing the solid comfort he offered. She had never explained her bouts of depression, but Joe knew that they had been related to Ken's callous treatment of her. She had been especially devastated in the days following her encounter with the Jigokiller flowers, likely because of Ken's reaction to her safe recovery. The bastard had hit her, when she had been expecting a warm embrace.

It had been Joe who had embraced her over the following few days, helping her through a deep sadness and sense of shame that seemed to have taken over her life. Eventually, Jun had smiled again, and when she had, it had been like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.

Damn. Why hadn't he realized it then?

He loved her.

Now the Condor recognized that when he had told Jun that he wouldn't pull away from her again, it hadn't been a promise.

It had been a capitulation.

He had been capitulating to the feelings he had harbored for years, but been too blinded or too selfish to acknowledge.

Joe's first instinct was to begin swimming again, to drive these thoughts from his head, but when he did so he found that they would not disappear. The concentration he required to swim laps was gone.

He couldn't get Jun out of his mind.

Especially not when she was walking toward him, her lush body glistening with tiny droplets of water as she moved.

Ryu and Jinpei followed her, but the Condor did not notice them. All he saw was his graceful Swan.

Jun stopped, surprised and secretly thrilled by the naked longing on Joe's face as he gazed at her. But the instant she approached him, the expression was covered up again by the cold mask she had become all too familiar with, of late.

Still, she had to try.

"We're going to the cafeteria, to grab something to eat." Jun told Joe. "I don't suppose you'd like to join us?"

At that moment, Jun could have asked him to clean out the G-Town sewage treatment system with his bare hands, and Joe would have eagerly agreed.

"I'll meet you there." was what he said. His words sounded indifferent, but his heart leapt at the look of pleasure and surprise that passed over Jun's face.

"I'm looking forward to it." she whispered, so low that only he could hear.

Jinpei and Ryu appeared shocked, and Joe could hear them talking to Jun as they continued to walk away.

"What do you think got into him?"

The Condor smiled to himself. Something _had_ gotten into him, replacing the Galactor substance in his bloodstream with a far more addicting influence.

The Swan.

88888

The Owl was astonished when he saw the Condor walking into the cafeteria.

"I don't believe it!" Ryu nudged Jinpei with his elbow, causing the youth to spatter small pieces of hamburger all over himself. "He actually showed up!"

"Well, he _said_ he would." Jun pointed out.

"Yeah, but I didn't think he'd actually come." Ryu replied.

"Maybe he just wanted to see me smack you!" Jinpei muttered, casting dark looks at Ryu as he cleaned himself up.

"Oh, sorry Jinpei." Ryu apologized, just now realizing what he had done.

"I can see that nothing's out of the ordinary here." Joe remarked with his usual sarcasm, as he sat down with the trio. "Just the usual pre-dinner show."

"Hey, I resemble that remark!" Jinpei grinned, pulling goofy faces in an attempt to get the Condor to smile. The Swallow's antics appeared to go unnoticed by Joe, who had already turned to Jun.

"I'm glad you're here, Joe." she said quietly.

The Condor looked back to the Owl and the Swallow, who were already engaged in yet another argument.

"That was not your French Fry, Jinpei! It was on _my_ plate!"

"Because you stole it, you big oaf!"

"I did not! And don't call me an oaf!"

"Did too! And I'll call you whatever I want!"

Joe rolled his eyes, then got up from the table.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"No, Joe, wait…" Jun said, placing her hand on Joe's arm.

"I'm going to get something to eat." he said, moving away from his teammates.

"Look what you two did!" Jun chastised Jinpei and Ryu. "He was actually coming to join us!"

"Well, if he's going to be that way, I'm glad he left." Jinpei sniffed, his nose in the air.

"Yeah!" echoed Ryu, crossing his arms and unconsciously imitating Jinpei's pose.

"No wonder he never wants to be with us," Jun huffed, "what with the way you two carry on."

"Well if _that's_ the way you feel about it…" Jinpei sulked, "Let's go, Ryu! I can tell when we're not wanted!"

"Wait, guys…" Jun's plea had no effect as Jinpei left the cafeteria. Ryu grabbed a handful of cookies, giving Jun a sheepish look before hurrying after the Swallow.

Jun put her elbows on the table, dropping her head into her hands.

"What sent those guys off in such a hurry?" asked Joe, returning with a sandwich.

"You." Jun grumbled. "Their antics never used to bother you."

"They still don't bother me," Joe shrugged, "unless I want to be alone with you."

"Oh…" Jun blushed in sudden understanding as Joe sent a slow wink across the table to her. "I guess I can forgive you, in that case."

"Still," she added, a thoughtful expression on her face, "it would be nice if you'd make an effort with Jinpei and Ryu from time to time. I know Jinpei's been especially hurt that you don't want to hang out with us anymore."

"Of course, if I did that," Joe responded, "they might wonder what caused my change of attitude."

"What's wrong with that?" Jun asked.

"Well…" Joe reached across the table, lightly brushing Jun's fingertips with his hand. "How much do you want them to know… about us?"

"Us?" Jun blushed becomingly. "Does that mean you want to…"

"I'd like to continue spending time with you." Joe said, "Among _other_ things…" He arched an eyebrow at her, smiling wickedly.

Bubbles of warmth exploded inside of the Swan, spreading throughout her body and causing her skin to tingle at the thought of those _other_ things.

"I'd like that too." she admitted shyly.

"Then that's settled." Joe grinned. "But, how much do you want everyone else to know about those… _other_ things?"

"I hadn't really thought about that." Jun replied. "What do you think?"

"I suspect that Ken wouldn't appreciate knowing about us." Joe said quietly.

"There's nothing going on between me and Ken." Jun replied, a little too quickly.

The Condor merely looked at her, a skeptical expression on his face.

"At one time, I thought there might be," Jun confessed, "but I was wrong. Can we leave it at that, please?"

Joe saw the silent plea in her emerald eyes, and decided to drop the subject for the moment.

"We can, for now." he said quietly. "But one day, I'd like it if you could confide in me."

"Not today." Jun whispered, staring at her lap.

"Not today." the Condor agreed. Jun looked up gratefully.

"Thank you." she whispered.

Joe took her hand in his, squeezing it gently.

Her emerald eyes looked into his grey-blue ones, and an electric spark flew between them.

"I'm suddenly finding that I'm not all that hungry." Joe drawled.

"Neither am I."

88888

Ken walked through the G-Town base, his mind drifting to thoughts of the Swan, no matter how much he tried to push them aside. As always, Jun was proving to be an enormous distraction.

At times, Ken almost wished that Jun wasn't a member of the Science Ninja Team, for this very reason. She was always there; her beautiful face, curvaceous body and sensitive, caring manner demanding that he deepen the nature of their relationship. But as the Eagle, he couldn't afford that luxury.

Most of the time, he was able to keep his feelings for her under wraps, but there had been times in the past when he had reached out to her in desperation, having nowhere else to turn. Ken deeply regretted his weakness, and that Jun had been an all-too-willing victim of his inability to control himself.

He had made mistakes… too many mistakes. Jun was a valuable asset to the Science Ninja Team. She had proven that countless times over, most recently this afternoon, when she had helped him out of that situation in the alleyway.

But damn, he wanted her.

Only twenty-four hours ago, she had asked him if they had any obligations between them. Ken had honestly told her that they did not. Was it so terrible that the tiniest part of him wished that they did?

Okay, more than a _tiny_ part.

But all of the Eagle's feelings for the Swan were wrapped up in a sense of guilt: a sense that any relationship between Commander and subordinate was _wrong_. This belief was so paramount to his psyche that Ken could never bring himself to admit to the strong emotions he harbored for his third.

Ken knew that Jun was in love with him. She waited for the day when he would come to her, tell her that he loved her too, and sweep her off of her feet.

But that day was never going to come. Not as long as they were both part of the Science Ninja Team.

Selfishly, Ken exulted that Jun felt this way about him. At least he knew that there was no one else: no other man who would take her away from him.

And there was the great irony: Ken could not have Jun, yet he needed her. He needed her smiling face, her unfailing support of him. And though the Eagle could barely admit it to himself, he needed her in his arms when despair had tightened its grip on him. It had only been a handful of times that he had found his way into her bed, and while Ken regretted those nights, he also cherished them; holding the memories in his heart, and examining them carefully as he lay awake on his frequent sleepless nights.

Sighing, Ken forced his thoughts away from Jun, and headed to the cafeteria for something to eat. It would be best if he could completely avoid her tonight, after the way he had been so turned on in the alleyway. The Swan in action always aroused the Eagle, especially when he was treated to her _panchira_… what the hell had Nambu been thinking when he designed her uniform?

As he entered the cafeteria, Jun was sitting in the corner of the room. Ken might not have noticed her, but for a sixth sense that always alerted him when she was near. She was seated at a table against the back wall, with Joe.

The Condor and the Swan were deep in conversation, apparently too intent on each other to notice anyone else in the room; not that there was anyone near enough to them to attract their attention. The cafeteria was nearly deserted.

Except for the Eagle.

From this distance it was impossible to hear their conversation, but Ken stood rooted to the spot as they leaned close to each other, discussing some matter of importance between them.

A thin trickle of sweat ran down the Eagle's back. Was it possible? Were Jun and Joe...?

No. That could never happen. Jun loved _him_, and would never think of Joe in that manner. Joe and Jun had always been close. They were likely just discussing Joe's recent self-imposed isolation from the team. She had always been the biggest advocate of the five of them being a family, and having no secrets from each other.

Yes, that was it. Nothing to worry about.

Ken quickly hurried out of the cafeteria, failing to notice that the Condor had taken the Swan's hand in his own.

And Jun certainly wasn't protesting.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Joe and Jun walked slowly all the way back to their quarters; talking, laughing, flirting, and just generally enjoying each other's company. To Jun, it was as if the 'old' Joe were back: the one she had known before he had started experiencing those terrible headaches a few years ago. To Joe, it was as if an entirely new world had opened up. Never had he felt so at ease with anyone, and it was quickly becoming apparent that Jun was able to fulfill all of his needs as a man.

Although, there was _one_ particular need that was foremost in his mind, that night.

As they approached their rooms, Jun stopped hesitantly in the hallway, not entirely certain what the protocol was for this kind of thing. But Joe merely stepped in front of her, and opened his door while surreptitiously looking her slowly up and down.

"Come in?" he asked casually, leaving the door ajar as he entered his room.

Jun sighed gratefully, thankful that Joe had been able to turn a potentially awkward moment into something straightforward.

But the moment she crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her, things were far from straightforward. Joe was standing in front of her, and the way he gazed at her sent chills down her spine.

Joe was a man, in _every_ sense of the word, and he was capable of… well, last night had shown her what he was capable of. But Jun had been the _recipient_ of all of his attentions.

Jun had always been used to a passive role in bed, but she suspected that this wasn't what the Condor needed or desired. She wanted to meet him on his own terms, but wasn't entirely certain how to do so.

Jun's sudden nervousness caused her to look down at her feet, unsure of how she should act. She felt a finger on her chin, raising her head up so that Joe could see her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked curiously. There was no judgment in his tone, merely a mild concern for her well-being.

Jun thought quickly.

"What's wrong is that you haven't kissed me yet." she murmured.

"Well, that's easily rectified." Joe grinned, drawing her into the circle of his arms.

Joe bent his head down, brushing Jun's lips slowly with his own, gently kissing her while holding her firmly in his embrace. Jun sighed, moving closer to Joe and feeling herself melt into his body as her chest pressed against his. They exchanged slow, lingering kisses, losing themselves in the moment as they relished the pure joy of being together.

Joe covered Jun's mouth with his own, overwhelmed by the feelings taking over his body. He had expected to be consumed by his physical desire for this woman, but instead found that his love for her was even more demanding. The Condor's outpouring of emotion was communicated through his tender kisses and caresses. The Swan sensed this, and reciprocated in kind. She was lost in her loving affection for a man whom she had always considered a friend.

Only now, he was much more than a friend. The heat between their bodies, the fluttering excitement in her chest, and the tingling between her thighs all said, more eloquently than any words, that they had crossed that boundary some time ago.

They stood, enjoying the simple pleasures of kissing and holding each other in their arms, for what seemed like a delicious eternity. Jun felt as if she could have stayed there forever, lost in the whirl of sensations she was experiencing at that moment.

If only she weren't so damned eager to get Joe into bed.

She groaned with the exquisite agony of her dilemma, even as Joe's lips moved down her throat, pressing delicately along the graceful column of her neck. The Condor grinned, understanding the Swan's need.

"Not so fast…" he teased, breathing on the sensitive skin below Jun's ear and sending shivers down her spine. "Tonight, I want to take my time… savor every part of you."

Jun gasped at the images running through her mind, but they did nothing to diminish the fire running through her veins.

"You have to learn patience, little Swan." Joe grinned. "I'll admit that wasn't my forte last night, but tonight is a different story."

Jun groaned in protest, and decided to take matters into her own hands. She ran her palms around Joe's waist, pulling clumsily at his t-shirt until it was free of his jeans. The Condor laughed at her eagerness, surrendering to the Swan's persistence.

With fumbling hands, Jun unlatched Joe's belt, then began to unbutton his jeans. She had never undressed a man before, and in her nervousness and embarrassment her passions were momentarily forgotten as she concentrated on the task at hand. The Condor smiled quietly to himself, recognizing her dilemma for what it was, and was secretly thrilled that he was the first man to be treated thusly by the Swan.

If he had his way, he would also be the last.

Joe's amusement lasted until he was left in nothing but his boxer briefs. Jun carefully tugged at this one remaining garment, eventually pulling it away to reveal the Condor's maleness to her view. She knelt on the floor, her eyes widening at the sight in front of her. Joe felt Jun's curious gaze upon him, and was instantly aroused. She gulped nervously, as the Condor's lust began to grow before her emerald eyes.

"I…" she stuttered in her nervousness, backing away slightly. "I'm done."

"Then it's _my_ turn." Joe grinned wickedly. Slowly he moved toward the astonished Swan, gently pulling up a small section of her shirt until there was barely a square inch of her midriff exposed to his gaze. Carefully, he placed his lips on that small amount of flesh, running his tongue back and forth across her skin. Carefully, he continued to reveal her tiny waist, paying due homage to each portion of her body as it touched his warm breath.

Once Joe had loosened her shirt completely, he raised it slowly up her torso, trailing his fingers over her skin as he did so. He stood up, kissing her mouth, only breaking for a second to let the thin cotton of her shirt pass between their lips.

Jun's head was awhirl, as the pleasure of this delicious anticipation filled her. Dropping her shirt to the floor, Joe's hand slid past her cheek and behind her ear, his fingers caressing the ebony strands of her hair. Jun leaned her head back, and as she did so, she felt Joe's mouth leave hers, only to begin kissing her shoulder a moment later.

The Swan's eyes popped open as she felt the Condor's lips dragging slowly along her arm, and she realized that he had caught the strap of her bra in his teeth. He looked up at her, grinning wickedly as he drew the thin elastic down and around her hand. Once he had completed this task, he moved to her other side, and soon her undergarment was nearly hanging off of her full breasts.

Joe's touch slid across her back, moving to undo the final clasp, even as the fingers on his other hand slipped inside the thin material to cup at the soft fullness underneath. His lips whispered across her other breast, teasing it with his tongue and teeth as the garment surrounding it was gradually removed.

Jun gasped, her body unused to the darts of pleasure that shot through her from this exquisite treatment. What had she been missing, for all of these years?

The Condor appeared determined to show her. He worshipped her breast in this manner for some time, before moving his head to her other side. Her soft, fragrant skin filled his mouth, and his eyes closed as he lost himself in her perfection.

The Swan's breathing became more and more ragged, as a delicious tension began to build throughout her body. Her knees began to buckle, until she felt that she could no longer stand.

"Just a little longer." Joe promised, his breath tickling her tender skin. "Be patient with me, Jun."

With an exquisite slowness, the Condor released the fastening of her capris, then slid his hands inside to cup at the Swan's hips. He pulled the material down, his tongue trailing along the inside of her leg as he did so.

Jun shook, uncertain how much longer she could continue to support herself. Joe held her gently, as he slipped her pants and her shoes off of each foot in succession.

Only one garment remained between them. Joe breathed deeply, inhaling the musky scent of Jun's arousal as his fingers gently divested her of her panties. Unable to resist, he licked at the sweet drops of dew that covered her womanhood, until her voice broke the silence in the room.

"Please!" Jun begged, her body trembling in his arms.

At last, he captured her in his embrace, lovingly lowering her to his bed, before returning to avail himself of the delicious fruits of her lust.

This was the third time Joe had placed his mouth in her most private of places, yet Jun was still unprepared for the immediate flood of pleasure that engulfed her. She clutched at the blanket, helpless against the skill of the Condor as he drank to his heart's content.

Jun's passions culminated in a roaring rush, only to begin again the moment they had subsided. She lost count of how many times her lust ebbed and flowed, surrendering herself to the incredible ecstasy she found so easily under Joe's attentive ministrations.

The Condor's entire body felt taut, as if it would break if he didn't cease availing himself of the Swan's charms in this manner. Yet the taste of her was so addicting, it was some time before he was able to tear himself away, weakly crawling up to rest beside her on his bed.

Jun's eyes were glazed, but she gradually began to recover herself, her breathing becoming calmer as she focused her gaze on the face of her lover. Joe couldn't stop staring at the sight of the beautiful Swan unashamedly controlled by her passions. The fact that he had been the one to show her those passions only added to his own arousal.

After a few moments, Joe had regained sufficient control of himself to continue, but he found that Jun was regarding him with a frank curiosity. Uncertainly, she reached out her hand to touch his male length, but stopped a bare inch from his hard flesh, sucking in her breath between her teeth.

"It's all right." Joe gently encouraged her. "Touch me."

"I… " Jun flushed, embarrassed by her lack of experience in such matters. "I don't want to hurt you."

The Condor laughed softly, but stopped when he saw the mortified expression on the Swan's face.

"You won't hurt me," he told her, "but you would please me very much."

Jun stretched out her hand again, gently touching the tip of his maleness with her finger. The feel of him was surprisingly soft, given the hardness with which the rest of him was made. Tentatively, she ran her fingers up and down his length, exploring the rigid smoothness that encompassed his masculinity.

Joe groaned as Jun's innocent ministrations inflamed him more than he had ever thought possible. Seeing his response to her touch encouraged Jun to boldness, and she bent down to examine him more closely. The Swan's pink tongue was caught between her sensuous lips as she contemplated the form of her lover's weapon. Curiously, she licked at a tiny portion of his essence that had appeared on the tip.

"Kiss me…" gasped the Condor, falling under the Swan's spell as she unknowingly caught him in her thrall.

Jun brushed her lips against Joe's maleness, sucking at another drop that materialized as she did so. Unconsciously, Joe thrust his body upward, pushing the entire tip into Jun's open mouth. Surprised, Jun compressed her lips, causing Joe to cry out. He entwined his fingers in her hair, gently pushing her head downward, communicating what he wanted her to do.

Cautiously, the Swan played with her newfound prize, exploring the tender, quivering flesh with her tongue. The Condor's body shook, and his grip on Jun's hair tightened, as the enormity of the power she possessed began to dawn on her. Her teeth nipped at him, causing the Condor to buck and writhe underneath her. Almost unconsciously, she pressed her palms against his hips, holding him in place as she continued her self-education.

"Jun…" Joe groaned, his voice pleading with her.

The Swan smiled slowly, as the nature of their role reversal was made apparent.

"Patience, my Condor." she purred, before resuming her attentions. She licked him gently, drawing more of his essence into her as she caressed him with her teeth and tongue.

"Jun, please!" Joe begged, his hands pushing down on her head.

Jun smiled to herself, slowly taking as much of him as she could into her mouth, until he brushed the back of her throat. She wrapped her tongue around him, in an attempt to experience the new flesh inside of her.

But the sensation proved to be too much for the Condor, who cried out to her as his lust burst forth. Instinctively, Jun drank, marveling at the ferocity of his passions.

As Joe's ardor subsided, Jun released him, her eyes taking in the sight of his diminished, though no less impressive, masculinity. After a long moment she looked up, only to see Joe's chest heaving as he recovered himself from their love play.

"I… I've never done that, before." she confessed, moving up to kiss him deeply.

The taste of his lusts in her mouth aroused Joe again, and he found himself moaning as his senses were assaulted by the bewitching Swan.

"You're a natural…" he whispered, clutching at her as if his life depended on it.

"I probably need more practice." Jun teased, thrilled by the effect she had had on him. She had never realized how fulfilling it was to satisfy another's desires. For a moment, she had even temporarily forgotten about her own needs. But now they came shouting back at her, crying out for attention as Joe's hands began to roam her body.

"I'll be happy to accommodate that need," Joe grinned, throwing his leg over her hips, "but first things first."

The Condor moved on top of the Swan, his fingers stroking and teasing her until she nearly screamed her frustrations at him. He smiled wickedly at her, refusing to yield to her pleas for satisfaction.

"Turnabout is fair play." he winked at her.

"Two can play that game." she growled dangerously, scratching her nails across his back. She reveled in the surprise and pleasure that was reflected in his eyes as she passed her hands over his hips. He crushed his mouth to hers hungrily, all restraint finally abandoned.

Ah, here it was… Jun had enjoyed their games, but now the ravenous Condor of the previous night finally returned. She cried out in satisfaction, casting herself into the maelstrom of his lust.

Joe's desire overwhelmed him, and he found that he couldn't get enough of Jun; availing himself of the pleasures she freely offered and returning them tenfold. Before long, he found himself slipping inside of her, as she expressed her satisfaction through low moans at the back of her throat.

He was surrounded by her soft skin, and the sensation set him afire as he moved within her. Jun wrapped her legs around his waist, unconsciously clenching her inner self around him as he moved. The delicious friction excited them both, and before long Joe sensed his crisis approaching.

"Joe…" whispered Jun, her eyes misting over as her passions washed over her and the blackness began to claim her mind.

"Jun!" Joe cried, his body tensing before exploding in the ultimate expression of their intimate act. He collapsed on top of her, cradling her in his arms as his body convulsed again and again, sending his very essence into the core of her femininity.

"I love you…" Joe gasped, sheltering Jun against his chest as her eyelids fluttered and she returned to consciousness.

"I love you, Jun." he repeated, burying his face in her hair.

Jun blinked, awareness of her surroundings returning as she heard the Condor's tender words. Tenderly, she reached up to lightly caress his cheek.

"I love you too, Joe."

The moment she uttered the words, she realized that it had always been so. The feelings she had thought she had had for Ken were nothing in comparison to the deep and enduring affection she had for this man. Jun loved Joe body and soul, and his very presence ignited these emotions into an inferno, setting her afire with their rage.

Unable to express the depth of her affections through words, the Swan kissed her lover, demonstrating the full extent of her feelings for him. The Condor returned her kiss, assuring her that their emotions were shared; their desire mutual.

"How have I lived so long without you?" he whispered wondrously, gazing at this incredible woman with a sense of awe.

"You've never been without me." Jun smiled, pressing her fingertips to his heart. "I've always been here. It's just that neither of us ever truly acknowledged it."

"Until now."

"Until now."

Drained of strength through their passionate encounter, the pair fell asleep in each other's arms, each dreaming of a future that belonged to the two of them, and to them alone.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The following morning Joe and Jun awoke next to each other and spent the next few hours talking and making love. The intimacy that had been missing from their lives was both physical and emotional, and they reveled in the rare opportunity to simply enjoy each other's company, without fear of the consequences.

However, their closeness did have consequences, and both the Condor and the Swan understood what could happen should others be aware of their newfound intimacy. For the moment, they had decided not to reveal the change in the nature of their relationship, and to that end they arranged things to make it appear that nothing had changed. Joe continued to act cold and distant whenever anyone else was around, and Jun maintained her public attitude of quiet despair over Joe's 'isolation' from the team.

There were a couple of close calls; most notably one morning when Ryu nearly caught Joe exiting Jun's room, but for two weeks the rest of the team remained ignorant of the true relationship that had grown between the Condor and the Swan.

Unfortunately, they hadn't been able to spend as much time together as they would have liked. Galactor appeared to be on the warpath, and the Science Ninja Team was sent around the globe to deal with stolen resources, hidden bases, and strange geological phenomena apparently related to the Solar Shift Plan. More often than not, the entire team dropped exhausted into bed each night, falling asleep before their heads hit their pillows.

The war with Galactor was draining on all of them, but even more so for the Condor and the Swan, who longed for the freedom they had once enjoyed. Of course, they hadn't thought of it that way at the time, but when Katse had been in charge of Galactor, they had had days, sometimes even weeks at a time, off duty. With every defeat, Katse spent time regrouping and planning his next attack, and the Science Ninja Team was able to use that time to recuperate.

But now, it seemed as if the Science Ninja Team was being called up every day, and everyone's nerves were beginning to fray. Galactor was raising the stakes, and the Science Ninja Team was no longer certain how long they could play this dangerous game.

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"You will execute my wishes, as I have instructed." Leader X commanded Gel Sadra.

The Galactor Leader snarled underneath her mask. It was bad enough that her plans for the Condor had been disrupted, but since that day Leader X had kept her running from morning until night, working on the Solar Shift Plan. She longed for even a few hours to herself, to plan the Condor's capture again. She had seen him numerous times since the day the Swan had so rudely interrupted them, but the glimpses of him in combat were nothing like the encounters she longed for.

If anything, her few stolen moments with the Condor had heightened Gel Sadra's obsession with the man. When she wasn't working, she thought of nothing else, and alone in her bed at night the images that ran through her mind tortured her already tormented soul.

The Condor _would_ be hers. Perhaps if she could capture the entire team, she could have the Condor to herself, and prevent the others from aiding him.

The sleeping gas and the 'truth' serum had worked very well. Perhaps she should try them again.

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"So what is it this time?" grumbled Jinpei as the team was summoned to Dr. Nambu's office for the fourth time in three days. "Is Gel Sadra sending a Godzilla mecha to run amok in Tokyo because she ran out of hairspray?"

"It's not a joke, Jinpei!" Ken scowled. "I'm exhausted too, but this level of Galactor activity is serious!"

"Ken is right." said Dr. Nambu calmly. "We believe that these incidents of late have all been leading up to something."

"What's that, Doctor?" Jun asked, stifling a yawn behind her hand.

In answer to the Swan's question, Dr. Nambu turned down the lights and displayed a video of a Galactor transmission.

"This communication was received by the ISO twenty minutes ago." Nambu informed them. "There is no doubt as to its authenticity. Of course, what we see in the transmission may, or may not, be real."

The message began with an image of Gel Sadra, introducing herself and stating that the message was for Dr. Nambu personally. Then she moved aside, showing the image of a man in chains. He appeared to have been suffering harsh conditions under Galactor's 'care'.

"That's Simon Murfitt!" Jun exclaimed in shock.

"It certainly appears to be," the Doctor agreed, "however we have not been able to confirm that fact."

"But, didn't Jun and Joe see his dead body in that other base?" Ryu asked, confused.

"We don't actually know if it was his body or not." Joe pointed out. "We weren't able to bring it back for DNA analysis, since it had been rigged to explode the moment we touched it."

"What do you want us to do, Doctor?" Ken asked.

"Our analysts suspect that this is a trap." Dr. Nambu replied, sighing heavily. "Galactor has been running the five of you ragged for weeks, and now they are taunting us with a prisoner who appears to be Agent Murfitt. They will be aware that you are coming, but I still must order you to investigate this matter immediately."

"If that is Simon Murfitt, we will bring him home, alive." Ken promised.

"I pray for your success."

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"Jun, do you have a location yet?" Ken asked, shortly after the New God Phoenix had been launched.

"Yes." the Swan replied. "Gel Sadra's transmission was sent from the Isle of Tonga, in the South Pacific."

"Oh, no…" groaned Ryu. "Not another island full of killer bananas!"

"Just stay away from the local produce this time." Joe drawled, as he leaned back in his chair.

"We're not going to have any time for sightseeing." stated the Eagle. "We're going to get in and out as quickly as possible."

"And here I was looking forward to a nice beach vacation." grinned Jinpei. "I sure could use the rest!"

"We could all use the rest." Jun pointed out. "But maybe if we get this done quickly, we can get back and finally manage to get more than three hours of sleep in a row."

"I'm setting a course for Tonga." Ryu announced, after receiving co-ordinates from the Swan's station.

When the New God Phoenix arrived, the area from which the signal had been sent seemed to be deserted. But after careful analysis, Jinpei located what appeared to be a small, metallic object in the middle of the jungle.

"Jun and I will check it out." Ken ordered. "The rest of you stay alert in case of trouble."

"Man, I never get to have any fun!" Jinpei moaned.

"Look at the bright side, Jinpei," Ryu grinned, "we can take a nap!"

"So much for keeping alert." Joe grumbled. The Condor rolled his eyes at Ken as he passed, but the Eagle's face remained impassive.

Jun looked back, just in time to see the flash of an eye under Joe's helmet. He had winked at her. She smiled surreptitiously underneath her helmet, hoping that no one else had noticed. There was more than one reason she wanted to catch up on her sleep. The Swan and the Condor had been so exhausted of late that it had been a number of days since their last intimate encounter.

With thoughts of Joe on her mind, Jun left the New God Phoenix with Ken. The two of them moved down to the island on their individual mechas. The Auto Swan landed next to the Eagle Sharp, not far from the spot Jinpei had indicated.

It didn't take too long to find the object, which turned out to be a transmission repeater. Such devices were usually employed to enhance the strength of communications, but in this case it was obvious that the repeater had been used in an attempt to disguise the origin of the message.

"So it's a dead end?" Ken asked in frustration.

"Not quite…" Jun murmured as she analyzed the device from close range. "I think I can extract the location from which _this_ device received the signal."

"You mean, you can track it back?" Ken asked.

"If I can find the co-ordinates…. yes! Got them!" Jun grinned. "It looks like this device received the signal from Guam, and re-broadcast it to the ISO."

"Guam?"

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But as it turned out, the signal _hadn't_ originated from Guam. Another repeater was found there, which lead them to another device in the Australian Outback, and then another was located north of Nha Trang, Vietnam. A fourth connection was discovered outside of Ghaba, Oman. All of the devices had been found in remote areas, far from human habitation.

"This is getting old, fast." Joe grumbled.

"What do you mean _getting_?" Jinpei yelled angrily. "This is our fourth wild goose chase! So much for getting this done quickly!" The Swallow slumped in his chair, crossing his arms and pouting.

"We're _all_ frustrated," Ken lectured, "but your bad attitudes aren't going to help anything! Let's just focus on our goal!"

"Well, Galactor's goal seems to be sending us around the planet." Ryu remarked gloomily. 

"Okay, the next one is in the town of Pekan in Pahang, Malaysia." Jun reported. "Or rather… on the outskirts… let me see what I can find…" The Swan was lost in her analysis. At least having had so much practice was enabling her to pinpoint locations with more accuracy.

"At least _someone_ is enjoying themselves." Jinpei sulked.

"Shut up, Jinpei!" Ken snapped.

"I think this is it, guys!" Jun said excitedly.

"What makes you say that?" Joe asked curiously.

"Because," Jun replied triumphantly, "this one is coming from the Pahang Sultan's Palace."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sultan Ahmad of the Pahang state of Malaysia lived in an ornate white palace on the outskirts of the town of Pekan. Despite the fact the Sultan Ahmad also currently held the office of King of Malaysia, he preferred to remain in his 'country estate' in Pahang. The grounds around the Sultan's palace included lush parklands, extensive horse stables and a polo field. The current Sultan's predecessors had had an obsession with old-fashioned trains, and a renovated locomotive engine and passenger car sat on its own track, in the middle of the compound. All of these areas appeared to be heavily patrolled by Malaysian Military personnel.

Jinpei used the long-range scanners of the New God Phoenix to pinpoint the signal with more accuracy. It was actually emanating from the main Palace itself.

Despite the seemingly innocent exterior of the Palace Grounds, the mere existence of a Galactor signal in a populated area was cause for concern. Ken had determined that it was better to attempt a stealthy approach, rather than a full-on assault. Even the usually bloodthirsty Condor agreed with this tactic. And so it was, with Pimer piloting the New God Phoenix, that the five members of the Science Ninja Team leapt from their ship and out into the sky, gliding through the clouds that lingered over the Royal Compound. Within a few seconds, their target was in sight, and the five ninjas landed quietly on the roof of the Palace.

The Condor broke the lock on one of the upper storey windows, and the team crept silently into what appeared to be a meeting room.

"So, what now?" whispered Jinpei.

"Just a second!" hissed Jun, fiddling with a handheld device. "I'm working on it. There it is… below us, about one hundred meters." The Swan replaced the device in her belt pouch.

"So, how do we get down there?" Ryu asked.

Joe had been investigating the room while the others talked, and now he thumped on a portion of the wall. It emitted a hollow sound, and a panel slid back, revealing an open shaft.

"What's that?" Jinpei asked curiously.

"It looks like a dumbwaiter." Jun told him.

"What are you calling me?" the Swallow asked angrily.

"It's an old fashioned elevator to send food up and down stairs." Jun sighed.

"Oh."

"It looks like we could use it." Ken said, looking down the shaft. "Joe, you go first."

The Condor nodded, and leapt into the shaft, gliding down with his wings. There was silence for a few moments.

"It looks like I'm in the basement." Joe reported by means of his bracelet. "Everyone else can come on down."

"You next, Jinpei, then you, Ryu, and after that Jun and I will go." Ken ordered.

The Swallow, the Owl and the Swan nodded. Jinpei leapt into the shaft.

Muffled voices came through the wall.

"Who's that?" Ryu asked.

The Swan pressed her helmeted ear against the wall.

"It's Gel Sadra!" she hissed, jumping back.

"What is she saying?" Ken asked, pressing his ear against the wall as well.

"Something about their orders…" muttered Jun, resuming her eavesdropping position.

"Your turn, Ryu!" Jinpei's voice came through their bracelets.

The Owl grimaced, then slowly began to squeeze himself into the shaft.

Jun was finally able to focus on Gel Sadra's voice.

"…_ensure that the troops are deployed to cover all appropriate areas. Leader X wants to move as soon as we have secured everything here…"_

"Jun, we're ready for you!" Ryu's voice broke her concentration.

"I'll be there shortly." Ken told her as she left. He resumed listening at the wall while Jun got into the shaft. The Eagle shuddered as he was treated to a view of the Swan's bottom when she bent over.

Dragging his mind away from his physical attraction to his third, Ken resumed listening to the conversation on the other side of the wall. An unfamiliar voice was speaking.

"… _It shall be done as you command, Gel Sadra. Our forces are ready for action. We are honored to join with Galactor in this endeavor…"_

"All clear, Ken." Joe reported.

"I'm on my way." Ken replied, hearing footfalls on the other side of the wall. The Eagle dropped down into the shaft.

Ken fell for about a hundred feet, then landed gracefully in a dark, dusty room constructed from stone blocks.

"Glad you made it." Joe greeted him. "We think we've figured out which way to go next." Jinpei, Jun and Ryu were kneeling in the dirt a short distance away.

"How's that?" Ken asked, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

"The hallway in this direction appears to have been constructed from newer stone than the one in the other direction." Jun remarked, brushing off the knees of her boots as she stood.

"Sounds like a good analysis to me." Ken grinned. "Let's go with it."

"Anything we should know about Gel Sadra?" Ryu asked.

"What? She's here?" Joe growled.

"We heard her, upstairs, in the next room." Ken told the Condor. "Apparently she's convinced someone else to add their resources to Galactor's."

"And given that we're standing in the Sultan's Palace," Joe finished the Eagle's thought, "you think it might be Sultan Ahmad?"

"It's certainly possible." Ken admitted, a worried look on his face.

"It's not like we haven't encountered governments selling out to Galactor before." Jun pointed out. "We've always been able to deal with it."

"Yes, but Malaysia owns mines that are the world's primary source of Hypernium 600." Ken noted. "If Galactor has access to those resources…"

The entire team fell silent for a long moment.

"So we have to make sure they _don't_ get access to the Hypernium 600." Joe stated.

"But first, we have to search for Agent Murfitt." Jun reminded them.

"Let's move out." Ken ordered.

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After a few hundred meters the corridor built of newer stone became one constructed from Sigma-Lightray strengthened steel. Another fifty meters further on there was a junction. The Swan pulled out the device from her belt pouch.

"The signal transmission came from that direction." she noted, pointing down one of the corridors.

"Since this appears to be a Galactor base, that would suggest that there's a main control room in that direction." Ken said thoughtfully. "Usually Galactor doesn't place detention areas near their control rooms, in case of escape…"

"Which means that Agent Murfitt is likely in the other direction." Joe said.

"Our mission is to rescue Agent Murfitt." Ryu pointed out.

"But we can't let Galactor get their hands on that Hypernium 600!" Jinpei cried.

The Eagle appeared thoughtful for a moment, before he spoke.

"Jun and Jinpei, I want you to track down where that transmission originated. Set some explosives, timed for detonation thirty minutes from now."

Jun and Jinpei nodded.

"Joe, and Ryu, you'll come with me down this other corridor, so we can locate Agent Murfitt. We will all rendezvous at the New God Phoenix in half an hour."

"Roger!" said four voices in unison.

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Jun and Jinpei crept down the corridors of the Galactor base. Jinpei scouted ahead while Jun checked the direction to the source of the communication.

After a few minutes, she told Jinpei to stop.

"The signal is coming from in here." she whispered, indicating a door next to the spot where she stood.

"Okay, Onechan, I'm ready."

They silently counted to three, then opened the door. They had the advantage of surprise over the six guards inside, and the threat posed by these goons was easily nullified by the Swan and Swallow's attack.

"This is the place!" Jinpei whispered excitedly. "Where should we place the explosives?"

"Here, I think." smiled Jun, pulling open a large panel in the center of the main console. With nimble fingers she quickly set the charge and the detonation timer, then closed up the panel.

"Uh, Onechan…" Jinpei said nervously, "I think we've got company!" The Swallow pointed to a platoon of guards that appeared on the security monitors, approaching their position.

"Then let's go!" Jun hissed, pulling open the door to the room. The two ninjas slipped into the corridor and rounded the corner, only to be met by another squadron of guards, headed by Gel Sadra herself.

"Throw the gas bombs, you idiots!" the Galactor Leader screeched at her men. The Swan and the Swallow ran in the opposite direction, but were blocked by the other platoon of troops.

The Swallow saw a small opening in the group of soldiers and pushed through it, only realizing too late that the Swan had been unable to follow.

A cloud of white gas filled the air, and despite herself, Jun found herself breathing some of it in.

"Run, Jinpei…" she cried, as she sank to the floor, overcome by the noxious substance.

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"This looks like the Detention Area." Joe remarked as he, Ken and Ryu approached the door to what was obviously a high security area. Three green-uniformed soldiers were standing in front of the door, and a nearby Guard Room off the side of the corridor held at least four more.

"We're going to have to take them all out at once," Ken said, "before they can raise an alarm."

"Not a problem." grinned Joe viciously. The Condor was chewing on a feather shuriken, and held another six in his hands. "I'll take the Guard Room."

His dark form slipped through the shadows, then turned and waited for a signal from the Eagle. Ken unholstered his Bird Saucer, while Ryu got out his Gripper.

The Eagle nodded, and the three ninjas leapt into action. A series of dull thuds came from the Guard Room, accompanied by a few soft gurgles as the Condor's shuriken found their marks. The Bird Saucer whistled through the air, neatly slicing the throats of two of the guards outside the Detention Area, while Ryu's Gripper plastered itself over the face of the third. This last goon floundered helplessly as Ryu pounded his fists into the soldier's soft stomach. The guard quickly suffocated from the green substance covering his nose and mouth.

"Very nice, gentlemen." Joe complimented, as he emerged from the Guard Room. "Barely a sound."

"So, uh… one question." Ryu said. "How do we get in there? Did you see any kind of keys in the Guard Room, Joe?"

"I don't think there are any." Ken said, looking at the closed door to the Detention Area. "That appears to be a hand reader over there." The Eagle pointed at a small square on the wall, with the imprint of a palm-down hand on it.

"Let's try it." Joe shrugged, pulling at the hand of the goon with the Gripper still on his face. A portion of the gooey green weapon stuck to the Condor's arm, and Joe peeled it off with a revolted look.

"This is disgusting." he muttered. "How do you stand it, Ryu?"

"There's a knack to it." Ryu replied loftily, his nose in the air as he expertly snapped his weapon off of the soldier and back into shape. The Owl grabbed the goon's hand and smacked it into the center of the handprint plate on the wall.

"Private Robinson: Peter J." a bored computerized voice announced, before the door slid open with a soft whooshing noise.

"Hey, this guy's pretty _handy_!" Ryu snickered.

"I have to _hand_ it to you for figuring that out, Ryu." Joe joked. There was a challenging note to his voice.

"I guess he got us the _five finger discount_." Ryu replied, upping the ante.

"He's _hands down_ the most helpful goon I've ever met." Joe smirked.

"As long as he's not looking for a _handout_"

"He doesn't look like he's living _hand to mouth_."

"And he certainly doesn't have a _handicap_."

"He wrote the _handbook_ on door-opening procedures."

"Yeah, he's got a _handle_ on it."

"Pretty _handsome_ too, if you ask me."

"He seems like a _hands-on_ kind of guy."

"I like his _handiwork_."

"You guys are giving me a headache." Ken complained. "Let's just get on with the job, shall we?"

"Spoilsport." Joe rolled his eyes at Ken as he winked at Ryu. The Owl grinned back. It was good to see Joe back to his old self, even if it was in the middle of a mission.

Ryu dragged Private Robinson's body inside the Detention Area before closing the door, then left it behind as the three ninjas moved into the facility.

Most of the cells were empty, but after a couple of minutes they came across one that was occupied by a man with an unkempt, haggard appearance.

"Can it really be?" the prisoner whispered in a quavering voice. "Gatchaman?"

"Yes." Ken replied quietly. Despite his disheveled state, the man looked vaguely familiar. His voice sounded _very_ familiar. Suddenly, the Eagle had a flash of memory.

"Sultan Ahmad?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes!" the man whispered excitedly. "Thank Heaven you came! I've been down here for some time… I don't even know how long it has been… there is no day or night down here. You have to rescue me! Allah only knows what that terrible woman is doing to my poor people!"

"Gel Sadra?" asked the Owl.

"Yes." Sultan Ahmad replied. "She came to me and demanded that I allow the Galactor organization access to our Hypernium 600 mines. I, of course, refused." The Sultan's chest puffed out with pride, before his face fell.

"The next day, I woke up to find myself here." he gestured to his filthy cell. "I can only imagine what those Galactor scum have been getting away with in my absence!" The Sultan spat on the floor for emphasis.

"We're getting you out of here, your Highness." Ken said. "But we're also here to recover another prisoner. The Owl will remain with you while the Condor and I find the other man."

"Thank you." the Sultan whispered gratefully, as Ken and Joe slipped away to continue the search for Agent Murfitt.

"So, how do you open this thing?" Ryu asked Ahmad casually, as he tugged at the barred door to the cell.

"There is a handprint access panel on the wall." the Sultan offered, "But you would need a Galactor guard to activate it."

"Not a problem!" grinned the Owl. "I'll be right back."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Gel Sadra stared at the unconscious form of the Swan. What a shame! She had been hoping that it would be the Condor who would be at her tender mercies this evening. Still, the Swan was beautiful and accomplished. For years, Galactor Intelligence had been trying to confirm the persistent rumor that she had captured the Eagle's affections. Such a woman would be a force to be reckoned with.

Perhaps a _man's_ touch wasn't what Gel Sadra needed at all.

The Galactor Leader picked up a syringe of her special truth serum. It wouldn't hurt to try it out, at least until she had captured the Condor as well.

"Mistress!" a green-uniformed solder came running into the room, "There is no response from the Guard Station at the Detention Area!"

Well, well, well. It seemed that her bait had been taken. Gel Sadra smiled to herself. Perhaps she wouldn't have to wait for the Condor after all.

"You know what to do with her." the Galactor Leader waved her hand at the Swan. "I'll be at the Detention Area." She swept from the room, leaving the breathless guard in her wake.

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A short while later, Ken and Joe came across one other prisoner, who looked to be in a significantly worse state than Sultan Ahmad. It was clear from the numerous cuts and bruises across his exposed skin that he had been tortured.

The man stared blankly at the wall, not indicating that he was aware of the ninjas' presence.

"Simon Murfitt…" whispered Ken.

The man scurried back into the corner, his eyes focusing on Ken in terror. But after a few moments, his body posture became slightly more relaxed, and a tear fell from his eye.

"Gatchaman…" he said in a choked voice. "You came…"

"Yes." Ken replied. He kept his voice calm to soothe the obviously distraught man. "We're taking you back to the ISO."

"No…" The prisoner stretched out his hand toward the Eagle. "You can't… it's a trap…"

An alarm klaxon began to sound. The noise echoed throughout the Detention Area.

"We're getting you out of here, _now_." Ken stated, showing no hint of surprise. "Just stay back from the door." Quickly, the Eagle placed explosives on the door's latch, while the Condor kept watch.

"What's going on at your end, Ryu?" Joe said quietly into his bracelet.

"I don't know!" Ryu's nervous voice came back. "I opened the Sultan's cell and this siren started going off!"

"We found Agent Murfitt. Hold on. We'll be there shortly." Joe ordered. A small detonation had opened the cell door, and the Eagle was helping Agent Murfitt out of the small room.

"Let's get out of here." he said to Joe.

"I'm way ahead of you." Joe's expression was grim.

The three men made it to Ryu and Sultan Ahmad's position within sixty seconds of the alarm sounding, but it was too late. A large contingent of troops appeared, headed by Gel Sadra herself. She was in such a rush to approach the Science Ninja Team that she nearly tripped over the prostrate body of Private Robinson, who had been left in an unceremonious heap in the center of the corridor after being used to open the Sultan's cell door.

Beside her was a man who looked familiar… but before the Eagle could identify him Sultan Ahmad had spoken.

"Vile imposter!" the Sultan hissed from behind Gatchaman's white wings. "How dare you stand so proudly while destroying what precious little my people have managed to build?"

The other man was indeed a mirror image of the Sultan. He began to laugh as he looked at Ahmad's bedraggled form.

"There would have been no need for _me_ if _you_ had simply cooperated with Galactor, when you were asked." he smirked. "But since you did not, now it is _I_ who am enjoying the _privileges_ that go along with the Sultan's position."

At last, Ken realized why the voice was familiar. It had been _this_ man whom he had heard through the wall, on the top floor of the Palace.

"Enough, Haji!" Gel Sadra said, waving her hand. "We have more important matters to attend to. It appears that these birds have fallen into my trap as well!" The Galactor Leader gloated, her excitement at having captured three members of the Science Ninja Team evident on her smirking face.

"It's only a trap if you've prevented us from getting out." Ken stated in a calm voice. "I don't see any problem with that."

"You over-estimate yourself, Gatchaman." Gel Sadra sneered.

"We shall see." Ken's face remained mostly impassive, but Joe thought he detected a small smile under the Eagle's helmet.

Growing bored with the conversation, Joe let loose a flurry of feather shuriken and leapt directly at the opposing troops, knocking out three more goons with a flying kick before his feet even touched the ground.

The Eagle sighed in exasperation. The Condor had no patience.

"Protect Agent Murfitt and the Sultan!" Ken shouted at Ryu, before joining the fray. He threw his Bird Saucer around the room, where it proceeded to knock out at least half a dozen goons. The Eagle caught his weapon in his outstretched hand, even as his other arm punched nearby soldiers in the jaw. Ken turned to attack the false Sultan, only to see him on the ground, a feather shuriken protruding from his throat.

Gel Sadra appeared panicked. In only a few seconds, more than half of her troops were down. She turned, brushing past the Condor as she exited the room.

Joe growled as he saw her go by. Damn, he wanted to wring her scrawny neck. He still cringed at the thought of what she had put him through in Galactor's Ural Mountains base. The Condor _owed_ Gel Sadra, and he wasn't about to let a debt remain unpaid. Unfortunately, a goon with a death wish charged at him, and the second it took to crush the man's skull with his fist cost Joe his opportunity.

The Eagle was already racing after Gel Sadra with his usual tunnel vision where she was concerned. Ken had never gotten over the fact that _he_ had not been personally responsible for Berg Katse's demise, and that sense of guilt had carried over to Katse's successor. As a result, the Eagle sought every opportunity to chase after Gel Sadra, just as he had with her predecessor.

The Galactor Leader looked over her shoulder just enough to see her pursuer. Damn! Gel Sadra had hoped that it would be the Condor who followed her, and to that end she had purposely brushed by him on the way out.

On the other hand, while he wasn't the Condor, the Eagle might do nicely… yes… perhaps that could work… She was nearly at her laboratory now…

But before Gel Sadra could contemplate a new victim for her plan, she heard the soft whizzing noise that indicated that a Bird Saucer was headed toward her. She ducked into the laboratory, the Saucer missing her mask by only a hair's breadth.

Unfortunately, the Saucer _didn't_ miss a cabinet on the wall: the cabinet that held her supply of truth serum.

Gel Sadra screamed in frustration as her alternate plan was smashed before her very eyes. Syringes and vials of truth serum fell to the floor, crashing and scattering shards of glass in every direction.

Fortunately, she had one last trick up her sleeve.

"You're mine, now, Gel Sadra!" Ken shouted, grabbing the Galactor Leader by the throat. "There is no escape for you this time!"

"Perhaps not, Gatchaman." she laughed, confident despite having the Eagle's hands around her neck. "But if you kill me, you're killing the Swan as well."

The astonished expression on the Eagle's face was almost worth having all of her truth serum destroyed. _Almost_.

"You're lying!" the Eagle hissed, as he tightened his grip on her neck.

"No, Gatchaman…" Gel Sadra reached out, stretching her fingers toward a button on a nearby control panel and pressing it lightly. An image appeared on the console monitor.

For a second, all the Eagle saw was the unconscious form of the Swan, lying on the ground. Then he realized that she appeared to be tied to something…

The railroad track in the Palace Compound.

Unconsciously, Gatchaman's grip on his enemy began to loosen as he realized what Gel Sadra had in mind.

"I got the idea from an old movie." the Galactor Leader smirked. "We'll see how long her Birdstyle lasts when it is crushed by a seventeen ton locomotive train!"

The Eagle's jaw dropped as he saw the train begin to move.

There was no way he could get there in time.

But he was damn well going to kill himself trying.

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Joe and Ryu finally reached the main floor of the Palace, the Condor tossing feather shuriken at anyone who tried to interfere with their exit. As it turned out, the majority of the Galactor and Palace personnel they saw were content to let them pass with the two recently freed prisoners.

As they emerged out into the daylight, Joe saw a small black figure racing toward him.

"Joe!" screamed Jinpei, "They've got Onechan! You have to help her!"

"What?" The Condor's face turned a violent shade of purple.

"She told me to run…" Jinpei sobbed, catching up to his teammates and falling to his knees on the grass. "I'm so glad I found you!"

Instinctively, the Condor swept his gaze around the area. In the distance, a small flash of white caught his eye. It was on the…

"The train!" cried Ryu, spotting the Swan's form.

But the Condor was already halfway there.

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Jun blinked her eyes in the bright sunlight. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was telling Jinpei to run…

She turned her head slightly, only to see the oncoming locomotive. It would hit her in less than ten seconds if she didn't move _now_.

The Swan struggled with her bonds, realizing her predicament. If she could just reach her Aurora Ribbon, maybe she could use its edge to cut through her bonds…

6… 5… 4…

A streak of indigo appeared in front of her, yanked at her arms and legs, and threw her up in the air. She landed hard on the ground, taking the impact on her shoulder and rolling in the dirt as the train raced by. Instinctively, she jumped to her feet, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, immediately surveying the area for enemies.

What she saw was not an enemy, but the Condor. He was charging toward her, only to pull her frantically into his arms.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a ragged voice.

"Yes…" Jun replied, smiling at Joe. "I think so… thanks to you."

"If I had been a second later…"

"But you weren't. I'm fine."

"So why are you rubbing your shoulder?"

"It just got a little bruised, that's all."

"You have to be more careful!"

"Hey, how was I to know that Gel Sadra was going to throw sleeping gas at me?"

The Owl, the Swallow and the two prisoners arrived at the scene, slowing down as they saw that Jun was unharmed.

"You shouldn't have gotten yourself into that situation in the first place!"

"Well, we had to set the charges, didn't we?"

Jinpei tugged nervously at the Condor's wings.

"Uh… yeah, the charges… about that…"

"What?" Joe turned to the Swallow, his eyes blazing. Jinpei quivered under the Condor's withering glare and spoke in a quavering voice.

"They're going to go off in about a minute, and I don't see Aniki."

"Why do things _always_ turn out this way?" Ryu moaned.

88888

Ken shot through the Galactor base, searching for the exit. How the hell was he going to save Jun if he couldn't get out of this damn place?

The Eagle was frantic. How could he have let this happen? How many times had he told himself that he would never again let Jun come to any harm, and now…

She wouldn't be harmed. He wouldn't be too late.

He _had_ to believe that.

Ken had thought that he had lost her once before, and he had nearly gone out of his mind. It was hardly the appropriate action for a Commander, but there it was.

The truth was, he couldn't live without Jun.

His lungs burned as he gulped for air. The Eagle located the way to the main Palace, and two seconds later streaked out of the building, like the White Shadow for which he was named.

His eyes lit upon his teammates, gathered on the grass near the railroad tracks. Green wings… black wings… blue….

And one set of white wings.

Ken's heart burst with the knowledge that the Swan was safe. She was standing among the others.

But the Eagle's speed did not diminish. He had to see her for himself.

A giant roar erupted behind him, and instinctively the Eagle dove for cover as the Sultan's Palace was suddenly engulfed by a fiery explosion. Clods of dirt and chunks of wood, steel and metal fell around him, covering him in debris.

When the deadly rain had stopped, Ken lifted his head, pushing his way through the rubble around him. What he saw made his mouth go dry.

The Swan was running toward him, screaming his name.

When she reached Ken. Jun fell to her knees, scrabbling at the debris. The Eagle managed to pull out his hand, and he reached out to her.

"I'm okay, Jun."

The look of intense relief on her face made his heart soar.

"Thank goodness! When I saw you buried in the rubble…"

"I'm fine." Ken repeated, digging himself out and standing up. "How is everyone else? The Sultan? And Agent Murfitt?"

"They're here, and they're fine, Ken." Joe reported, approaching the Swan and the Eagle. His face wore its usual Condor glare. Ken supposed that Joe was angry with him for cutting it so close to the explosion. Well, the Eagle certainly wasn't about to explain himself to his second.

"Then, let's just get out of here." Ken replied.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"I'm fine, Jinpei, really." Jun insisted, gently pushing the Swallow aside. Really, it was annoying how the guys all seemed to get excited when she had the tiniest injury.

"You don't look fine." Jinpei scowled.

"I'm just going to hold this ice pack on my shoulder." the Swan explained for perhaps the twentieth time. "That's all I need. It's just a bruise."

"Are you sure, Onechan?" Jinpei asked.

"Hey, who's the Medical Officer, here?" Jun grinned.

"All right, Onechan." Jinpei appeared to give in, but his eyes looked at her suspiciously.

"Just take care of the Sultan and Agent Murfitt." Jun told him. "We'll be back at G-Town within the hour."

"Okay." the Swallow sighed reluctantly, turning back to the other 'patients'. The Sultan and Agent Murfitt had been physically and mentally drained when they had been rescued, and were presently sleeping on the two examination tables in the Medical Bay. The Swan had treated their visible injuries, and attached an IV with a nutritional supplement into their arms. After one last look to ensure that everything was all right, Jun left for the Bridge.

When she entered, she saw Ken making a report to Dr. Nambu.

"We believe that Galactor was using the base underneath the Sultan's Palace to store extracted Hypernium 600." Ken explained. "That would explain why the explosion from a few charges was so intense."

"You've done an excellent job today." Nambu replied from the viewscreen. "Thanks to you, Galactor's source of energy has been cut off, and it will take them some time to recover. You have all earned a break."

"Really?" Ryu asked excitedly.

"Yes." The Doctor actually smiled. "You can all return to Utoland after your debriefing."

"Thank you, Hakase." Ken nodded gratefully, as the transmission ended.

"Hey, Jun, you're okay!" Ryu grinned, noticing that the Swan had returned to her seat.

"It's just a bruise." Jun pointed out, shifting the ice pack slightly so that it was less obvious underneath her hand.

"Did you hear? We get to go home tonight!" Ryu told her.

"I heard." Jun sighed gratefully. "It will be good to sleep in my own bed."

"So, are you opening the Joint tonight?" the Owl asked her. "Maybe we could all come by."

Jun flicked her eyes toward Joe. There was only one visitor she wanted at the Joint that night, and it _wasn't_ Ryu. She chose her words carefully.

"I think I'm a little too tired to open up tonight." she said quietly, thrilled to see that the Condor had a slight smile on his face. "But if you want to celebrate, I'm sure Jinpei would love to stay at your place and spend all night playing video games."

"That's not a bad idea." Ryu shrugged. "I'll ask him."

Ken noticed the Swan's brief hesitation before replying to the Owl's question. Why had she done that? Did she want to be alone for some reason?

Or perhaps… perhaps the Swan had wanted the Eagle to know that she would be alone.

Was it possible?

But of course, Ken couldn't go over there. Not when he knew that she would be alone. He couldn't afford to make another 'mistake'…

But damn, he wanted to.

88888

Exactly one hour after their return to G-Town, Jun heard a quiet knock on the back door of the Snack J. She rushed to answer it, her cheeks flushing.

"I was hoping you would drop by." she smiled shyly as she opened the door.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be." the Condor replied, entering the Snack and taking her in his arms.

"Neither would I, now that you're here." Jun said, leaning up to touch her lips to his.

The couple spent some minutes exchanging slow, comforting kisses at their leisure, reveling in the freedom they were enjoying away from G-Town.

"How's your shoulder?" Joe asked, pressing his lips softly in the spot where she had been injured.

"It's fine." Jun replied. "Since I used the ice pack, I don't even think there'll be much of a bruise. And anyhow, it was a small price to pay for being saved by the Condor."

"Just don't make it a habit to require saving." Joe said. His words were teasing, but there was a serious expression on his face.

"Look, Joe, I'm not going to be performing my job any differently, because of _us_." Jun told the Condor, pulling away slightly. "I love you, but I'm not going to let that stop me from…"

"What did you just say?"

"I said, I'm not going to let that stop me."

"No, _before_ that."

"I…" Jun blushed, realizing what she had said.

"I said that I loved you." she whispered.

The Condor's response was to sweep the Swan back into his arms and kiss her passionately.

"I love you, too." he said, his voice cracking slightly.

"Well, now that's settled," Jun winked at Joe, "how about some dinner?"

"Did you cook?" the Condor appeared alarmed.

"No!" Jun swatted him playfully. "I ordered in, silly!"

Joe gave an exaggerated sigh of relief.

"Hey, keep that up, and I'll be wrapping my ribbon around certain _sensitive_ places…" the Swan threatened.

"I'd rather use my feather shuriken on _your_ sensitive places." Joe grinned wickedly.

"Oh, my…" Jun blushed to the roots of her hair. "Maybe we'd better go eat, if we're going to be expending our energy that way."

"Lead the way." Joe grinned, grabbing Jun's bottom as she turned around.

"You're the only man I would ever let get away with that, Joe." she winked.

"I'm the only man who had better try it." he growled playfully.

"There go my plans for a _ménage a trois_…" Jun sighed theatrically.

"Damn straight!" The Condor grabbed the Swan possessively as they went up the stairs.

The relaxed mood between them continued. The couple exchanged soft kisses and caresses in between eating and snuggling on the couch in Jun's living room. They were just contemplating moving into Jun's bedroom when they heard a knock coming from downstairs.

"Who's that?" asked Joe, slightly annoyed at the interruption.

"It's probably Jinpei." Jun shrugged. "He's always forgetting something when he goes to spend the night at Ryu's. Maybe this time it was his key."

The Swan got up and went downstairs, blowing a kiss at the Condor as she left the room. Joe smiled to himself, admiring the way Jun's hips swung as she walked. He replayed their earlier conversation in his mind.

She loved him.

Damn, he was a lucky guy.

88888

Jun was surprised to see Ken standing at her door. Her first thought was that she had to get rid of him, _fast_. She didn't relish the idea of a confrontation between the Condor and the Eagle tonight; or any night, for that matter.

"Can I come in?" Ken asked after she had opened the door.

"It's not a good time, Ken." Jun said, yawning dramatically. "I was about to get some sleep."

"I just wanted to talk, if that's okay." the Eagle said, a pleading note in his voice.

"All right." Jun sighed, letting him in. She was a soft touch, and she knew it. She had a hard time turning down anyone, but _especially_ Ken.

She slid into a booth, making sure that she took the side that faced the stairs, in case Joe should come down. She indicated that Ken should take the seat opposite her.

But the Eagle sat down next to Jun.

"What's wrong, Ken?" she asked, to cover her surprise.

"I…" The Eagle looked at her, his blue eyes brimming with emotion. "I had to see you, Jun… to convince myself that you were all right."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jun asked.

"Today… on the train tracks." Ken tried to explain. "I had Gel Sadra… I had her in my hands… and then she showed me an image of you on the tracks, with that train coming toward you…"

"I left Gel Sadra there." the Eagle confessed. "I had to try and save you."

"Oh, Ken," Jun was overwhelmed, "I'm touched… But you shouldn't beat yourself up over it."

"The only thought in my mind was making sure you were okay." Ken continued, barely hearing her. "I almost lost you before, and I couldn't let it happen again…" his voice trailed off, and the Eagle took The Swan's hands in his.

"I can't live without you, Jun." he said simply. "I need you."

"What?"

Jun's exclamation of surprise was cut off as the Eagle pulled her toward him and kissed her. His hand reached up to stroke her breast through her t-shirt.

"Ken! What are you doing?" Jun cried, as she pushed the Eagle off of her.

"I… I thought you…" Ken was taken aback. He hadn't expected this. "You were so concerned today, when you thought I was injured…" he tried to explain. "I thought that you still cared: that you would…"

"That I would fall into your arms, just because you asked me to?" Jun finished for him. She pulled back, crossing her arms angrily.

"Well…" the expression on Ken's face told her that that was _exactly_ what he had expected.

"I thought you felt that this kind of thing was a _mistake_?" the Swan said viciously.

The Eagle gestured helplessly, unable to answer her question.

"Ken," Jun hissed, "I asked you, _weeks_ ago, if we had any obligations between us. You told me, in quite condescending terms I might add, that we didn't. I took you at your word."

"I know." The Eagle hung his head, then looked up hopefully. "There are no _obligations_, Jun, but I would very much like to…"

"No, Ken."

The words hung in the air between them, lingering by virtue of their shock value. It was the last thing Ken had expected to hear, and something Jun had never expected to hear herself say.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Ken asked, confused.

"I mean, you've taken advantage of me for the last time! Every time, I swear I won't let it happen again, and then it does! I hate it, Ken! I hate the guilt, I hate the humiliation, I hate myself, I hate…" Her voice trailed off.

"You hate _me_." Ken said quietly.

"I don't hate _you_." Jun sighed heavily. "But I hate the position you put me in, Ken."

"I… I didn't realize that it affected you that way." Ken muttered as a form of half-hearted apology.

"There are a lot of things you don't realize, Ken." Jun said quietly. "I think you should leave, now."

The Eagle stood, shell-shocked, still trying to figure out what had just happened. The Swan rose gracefully and walked over to the door, opening it.

"Goodbye, Ken." she said calmly.

There were no more words between them. The Eagle gave the Swan one last stricken look, before departing.

The moment he had left, Jun closed the door behind him, then slid to the floor, her back pressed against the wall. She wrapped her arms around her knees, and bent her head as tears began to flow.

"Damn you, Ken." she whispered to herself.

A strong pair of arms embraced her, and Jun raised her head to see Joe staring at her with an expression that was a mix of tenderness and anger.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked quietly, as he rocked her in the cradle of his arms.

"Too long." Jun sighed, grateful for the Condor's compassion.

"_This_ is what you never wanted to talk about." Joe's words were a statement; not a question.

"I just wanted to forget…" Jun said, "but he wouldn't let me forget. Every time I got over Ken, he'd just show up on my doorstep, and pull me back in. The worst was right after you… after we _thought_ you had died."

Joe's arms tightened around her, and Jun sobbed quietly into his chest. The Condor was silent for a moment.

"This explains a lot." he said finally.

"What does it explain?" Jun sniffed, looking up curiously.

"It explains your… reaction… when I first touched you."

"Oh." Jun appeared thoughtful. "I guess you're right. Ken… I don't want to say that he doesn't… well… there were just too many terrible emotions mixed up in it… for both of us. Every time he touched me, there was this overwhelming sense of guilt: a feeling that we shouldn't be doing these things. It ate me up inside."

"But you always helped me through it, Joe." she continued, looking at the Condor gratefully. "Every time Ken did this to me, you were there. You were my shoulder to cry on. That's what made it so much harder for me, after you had… gone."

"I wish I had been there." Joe said regretfully.

"You're here _now_." Jun pointed out. "That's what's important."

"And I'm not going anywhere." he promised.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

They sat there on the floor of the Snack J for some time, not saying anything. Joe softly stroked Jun's hair as she laid her head on his shoulder and thanked whatever fortune had sent this man to her.

But eventually, the Swan had had enough of her self-pity.

"Let's stop this." she said, pulling herself out of the Condor's embrace and standing up.

"What do you mean?" Joe asked, smiling as he rose.

"I mean, I was having a terrific time before Ken dropped in uninvited." Jun said. "I'm not going to let him ruin the first real evening we've had together in ages."

"Jun, don't ignore your feelings because of me." Joe said, concerned.

"I'm not." she stated adamantly, leading the Condor back upstairs. "I want to forget that Ken ever showed up here tonight. I want to forget that he and I ever…"

"You can do that for me, Joe." Jun said after a short pause, looking at him expectantly. "You always have."

"I'll do whatever you want me to." Joe promised.

"Ooh… the possibilities." Jun smiled. Then her face grew serious again.

"Just make me forget, Joe. Like you always do."

They had reached Jun's bedroom. She pushed open the door, and led her lover inside.

Joe took her face in his hands, drawing her mouth to his. Jun sighed contentedly, winding her arms around his neck as his hands found her waist.

Soon, kisses were not enough. They pressed their bodies together, each needing to feel the other in every way. Frustrated by the barriers to their contact, Jun began to tug at Joe's belt.

"No patience tonight." she growled threateningly.

"Not if you don't want it." Joe grinned, pulling her shirt off roughly.

Before long, their clothes lay scattered on the floor, and the Swan led the Condor to her bed. They lay down next to each other; Jun's leg thrown across Joe's hip while his arm covered her waist and back. Their mouths met furiously, as the fires of passion were stoked between them.

_This_ was what she had wanted. The Swan lost herself in the wild tempest of desire, her skin burning where the Condor had touched her. She devoured him with her need to erase the memory of what she had shared with another, and indeed, the recollection was already fading. How could she ever compare those guilt-ridden, lukewarm encounters with the all-consuming passion she always experienced with _this_ man?

Jun murmured her satisfaction, pressing against her lover as she felt the now familiar fluttering inside of her. Joe's head bent down, and he took her breast into his mouth; his touch both teasing and fulfilling.

Her soft cries of pleasure encouraged the Condor, and he continued his attentions; his approach becoming more and more demanding as the Swan melted beneath his fingers and tongue. He would make her forget about that bastard Eagle if it killed him.

And based on his previous experiences in the Swan's bed, it damn well might.

Joe's fingers brushed at the core of Jun's womanhood, tickling and stroking at her most sensitive of places.

"I want to taste you." he said.

"No… let me." Jun said, stopping him. "I want to please _you_, Joe." And before he could protest she moved down to kiss and caress his maleness.

"You have a lot to learn, Jun." Joe drawled wickedly, grabbing her leg and rotating her body so that she lay on top of him. The Swan was so taken aback that she nearly stopped what she was doing, but managed to recover herself in time.

Jun moaned when she felt Joe's mouth on her, exploring and tasting her sensitive flesh. Her teeth bit gently with her surprise and a low groan escaped the Condor's throat. The Swan's eyes opened wide in realization of what she was doing… of what _they_ were doing. The more she teased Joe, the more she tasted of him, the more he paid her back in kind. It was as if she were in control of her own passions… and yet, in a crucial way, she wasn't.

It was the most erotic thing she had ever experienced.

She covered him with her mouth, stroking with her lips and caressing with her tongue, as her fingers gently explored between his thighs, teasing his burning flesh. But the Condor only returned the favor, kissing her in the most intimate fashion. She worshipped Joe's masculinity, he worshipped her femininity; their mutual adoration only adding to their fervor.

Jun gasped as Joe's tongue slid into her, and she found that she could no longer hold back. Each was inside the other, and there had never been a more intimate moment between them. Jun's body began to shake as she felt her desire overwhelming all of her senses. At the same time there was a tightening sensation on her tongue, and the Condor's essence flooded her mouth even as her own passions yielded to her lover's demands.

It seemed that they soared with their desire for an eternity, slowly falling back to Earth, only to find themselves entangled in each other's bodies. Joe reached out to Jun, pulling her up to him for a fiery kiss. Their mouths melted together; the evidence of their lusts mixing with their tongues as they tasted each other. The mingling of their essences served to re-kindle their desires, despite the culmination of their ardor only a few moments before.

Jun's hands stroked Joe's hips, teasing him mercilessly as her fingers scorched his already tortured body.

"Now, Joe…" she whispered in his ear, while nibbling on his earlobe. "Please…"

"No." he replied softly, although it was obviously an effort for him to hold back his lusts. When she pulled away to look at him quizzically, he cleared his head enough to explain himself.

"I think, tonight, _you_ need to be in control, Jun."

The Condor pulled the Swan on top of him, thrilling in the feel of her body against his. As Joe ran his hands down her feminine curves, Jun began to understand what he was proposing. Carefully, she lifted her hips, lowering herself onto his hard length, until he was fully encased within her.

It was only then that Jun comprehended the full extent of what Joe had suggested. In this position, _she_ was in control: increasing or decreasing the speed of their pleasure and adjusting the depths of their passion.

The Condor was at her mercy.

The Swan reveled in the feeling of power she had, which only enhanced the physical sensations that accompanied their intimate act. She tormented her lover, moving forward and then constantly pulling back just as he approached his moment of crisis. She arched her back, raising her upper body so that the soft skin of her breasts brushed against his mouth, then moved away as he attempted to reach for the temptations she offered.

It was only when he succumbed entirely, allowing her to place her body where she wished without making his own demands, that she acquiesced and allowed him to taste her flesh. His expert attentions caused her to cry out, and despite herself, she was glad that she wasn't in _complete_ control, because this sense of reckless abandonment was something too delicious to ignore.

The Swan couldn't stop now. She took him into herself, as deeply as she ever had, encouraging him with every stroke to proceed further into her body. When he touched the very core of her she shuddered, knowing that she had been swept away by their turbulent desires. The Swan allowed herself to be led by her body, collapsing upon the Condor as he filled her completely.

"I love you, Joe!" Jun whispered as she surrendered to her passion.

When she opened her eyes moments later, Jun found herself wrapped in Joe's arms as he pressed soft kisses onto her forehead.

"I love you too, my little Swan." he replied, holding her tightly to him. "I never thought I would be able to say that to anyone, but you…"

She looked up at the Condor, her emerald eyes shining as she waited for him to finish his thought.

"My life is complete, because of you, Jun." Joe said quietly. "I love you."

"Then it's settled." Jun murmured sleepily, as she snuggled against Joe's chest. "We are together, no matter what."

"Together." Joe repeated, tenderly caressing his lover as her exhaustion finally claimed her.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The next week was almost like a dream for the members of the Science Ninja Team. Apparently the destruction of their Malaysian base had caused Galactor a serious setback, and the UN had been able to rout their forces from the country. Sultan Ahmad's identity had been confirmed through DNA testing, and he had re-taken control of his troops, his resources, and his people. Gel Sadra was reportedly on the run from the Sultan's wrath.

Agent Murfitt's identity had also been confirmed, and he had been able to provide the ISO with details about Galactor's various installations around the world. With his help, another three bases necessary to the Solar Shift Plan had been located, and destroyed through UN troop action. Gel Sadra's soldiers had not put up much resistance, presumably because they knew that if the UN failed, the Science Ninja Team would be sent to take care of things.

And so, thanks to the success of their last mission, the Science Ninja Team was enjoying a well-deserved break. Jun was opening the Snack J most nights, and the Team was using it as their regular gathering spot, as they had in the past. Every night Jinpei and Jun served an ever-increasing number of customers, many of whom were regulars used to an on-again off-again operating schedule for the bar.

There was only one thing missing.

Ken.

Jun had not seen Ken since his appearance on her doorstep the day of the Malaysian mission. He had not been to the Snack, which in itself was very unusual. Jun had been too embarrassed to contact the Eagle, but Jinpei had been concerned enough to visit him at his airfield. The Swallow had waited two hours for Ken to return from an air courier job, only to be told by the Eagle that everything was fine, and that he should get back to the Joint before Jun got worried.

Since Jinpei and Ryu tended to band together in their mischief-making, Joe and Jun were often thrown together, and it seemed only natural to the Swallow and the Owl that the pair should spend a lot of time in deep conversation. They also knew that Joe had always been the one who had been there for Jun when things were bad between the Swan and the Eagle, and they were grateful that Joe was able to keep Jun's spirits up.

As the daily interaction between team members became more relaxed, so did the Condor's reactions to his teammates. He had been more interested and engaged in what everyone else was doing, and had resumed his usual attitude of dry humor when it came to Jinpei and Ryu's antics.

It was almost like old times, save for the absence of the Eagle.

Some nights, Jinpei would head off to Ryu's marina, and Joe would spend the night at the Snack. The Condor and the Swan were still not comfortable revealing their relationship to the others, particularly given Ken's disappearance.

On nights where Jinpei slept at the Snack, Jun would go out with her 'girlfriends' after the Snack closed, often returning home with the dawn. If Jinpei thought she was partying a little too much, he kept his mouth shut for a change. If anyone deserved to let loose, it was Jun, who had always spent her life taking care of everyone else.

Besides, Jinpei had never seen his Onechan look happier.

One morning the Swallow was returning home, after having spent the night at Ryu's, and he saw the Condor's legs sticking out from behind the bar.

"What's he doing here?" Jinpei asked Jun.

"He's fixing the sink for us." Jun explained. "One of the pipes started leaking last night, and Joe offered to take a look at it."

"But, doesn't Aniki usually do that kind of thing for us?" Jinpei asked.

Jun arched her eyebrow at the Swallow. It was as good as giving him a smack on the head. Jinpei flushed, and lowered his gaze to the floor.

"Hey, want to see what I caught at Ryu's?" he said hopefully, attempting to change the topic of conversation.

"What?" Jun asked suspiciously.

"A cricket! Three inches long!" the Swallow crowed.

"Jinpei, you know what I told you about bringing bugs into the house!" Jun sighed.

"Just come up and see it, Onechan, it's really neat!" Jinpei begged, running up the stairs.

"Don't your dare take it out of your bag!" Jun cried, following the Swallow to his room.

Joe chuckled softly to himself as he worked on the pipes. Jun never realized that no matter what she did, Jinpei would always want a menagerie of insects as pets, while the Swallow never understood the Swan's objection to his creatures in the first place. Personally, Joe sided with Jun. If you let one bug in, others were bound to follow, and he had cleaned enough infestations out of his trailer to know what a bad idea that was.

The bell over the door rang, and Joe heard someone enter the bar.

"Jun?" asked a familiar voice. "Are you here?"

"She's upstairs." said the Condor, rising from behind the bar to come face to face with a surprised Eagle. "Although, I'm not sure how thrilled she'll be to see you."

"You don't know anything, Joe." Ken replied angrily, moving to go upstairs.

Joe quickly came out from behind the bar, barring the Eagle's path.

"I know that the last time you saw her, she was very upset." the Condor said, choosing his words carefully.

"So, she's been crying on your shoulder again, has she?" Ken asked frustratedly. The Eagle had spent the past week trying to purge the Swan from his mind, only to realize that it was an impossible task. To admit defeat in this matter, only to be impeded now by his second, merely increased Ken's irritation. He had to see Jun. He had to explain that he had never intended to hurt her. The Eagle wasn't sure what he could offer her, but this sense of alienation that had sprung up between them was gnawing at his soul.

And it wasn't any of the Condor's business.

"At least _someone_ has been there for her, when she needed it." Joe growled. "You barely acknowledge her existence, then see fit to tramp all over her emotions when it suits you."

"Look, it's not _your_ decision whether or not I get to talk to Jun." Ken said in a loud voice. "Now get out of my way before I…"

"Before you _what_, Ken?" Joe smirked, crossing his arms and leaning across the entrance to the stairwell in his usual arrogant posture.

The Eagle drew his fist back, determined to smash the smug expression from the Condor's face, but was stopped by a slim hand grabbing at his arm.

"Ken!" cried Jun, rushing between the two men. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I came to see you." Ken explained, his anger deflating at the sight of the beautiful Swan. "I think we need to talk…"

But the Eagle's words were interrupted by the chiming of all three of their bracelets.

"I'm sorry, Team," came Dr. Nambu's voice in triplicate, "but I'm afraid your break is over. I need to see you back at G-Town immediately."

The Eagle and the Condor glared at each other, ignoring the Doctor's call. The Swan slowly raised her arm to her mouth.

"Everyone but Ryu is here, Doctor." she said. "We're on our way." Jun looked pointedly at Ken and Joe, who looked down at the floor in defeat.

"We'd better get going." Ken mumbled. This wasn't over. He would talk to Jun, as soon as this mission was over.

88888

It turned out that Dr. Nambu required the assistance of the Science Ninja Team in capturing and destroying one of the Solar Shift Plan bases that Agent Murfitt had identified. The UN forces had been easily repelled, and it appeared that Galactor was choosing this place to make a stand.

The base was located inside of Humphrey's Peak, the highest mountain in Arizona. What made it difficult to access was that there was only one major pass through which the UN forces could attack, and this avenue was heavily defended by Galactor troops.

However, Agent Murfitt had informed Dr. Nambu of two other entrances. The ISO agent felt reasonably confident that Gel Sadra was unaware that he had any knowledge of these access passages.

Both passages were relatively small, allowing only one person at a time to enter, which made them ideal for a stealth infiltration by the Science Ninja Team. They were both located in the mountainside, although on opposite sides of the peak.

The entire mountain range was made up of formerly extinct volcanoes, however whatever activities Galactor had engaged in at this location had caused a number of lava spills, and the area was now considered to be extremely dangerous.

As a precaution, Dr. Nambu had made enhancements to the uniforms of the Science Ninja Team, giving each member a special cartridge to place inside of their helmets. When activated, the cartridge would give them two hundred seconds of pure oxygen for breathing. Given Gel Sadra's frequent use of sleeping gas in the past few weeks, this seemed like a well-advised precaution.

As the team approached in the New God Phoenix, Ken gave instructions as to how the team should proceed.

"We don't want to get too close in the New God Phoenix," he said, "because we don't want Galactor to be aware that we have been summoned. Let Gel Sadra think that the UN is the only group of forces she has on her hands."

Everyone nodded at this. It made sense. Ken continued with his plan.

"That being said, Pimer will drop off Joe, Jinpei and Ryu about a mile from the first entrance. Then Jun and I will be left on the other side of the mountain, to find the second entrance."

The Condor glared at the Eagle. It was incredibly _convenient_ that Ken had chosen to team up with Jun, but Joe wasn't in a position to argue. This particular split of the team was a standard one used by the Eagle, and it was the best at balancing out their individual strengths and weaknesses.

"Any questions?"

"Yeah, what do we do once we're in there?" Jinpei asked.

"Find a good place to set charges and blow the whole thing up." Ken shrugged. "The state of Arizona has already given us permission to destroy a national landmark, given the circumstances."

"Sounds like fun!" Jinpei smirked. "I can hardly wait to see the fireworks!"

"Let's just hope it goes as smoothly as you're expecting, Jinpei." Ken warned him.

Pimer arrived at the first dropoff point, and the Condor, the Swallow and the Owl left the New God Phoenix, gliding to the ground some 3,000 feet below the ship.

When they landed, Ryu looked around. "There sure are a lot of mountains around here." he observed.

"That's why it's called a 'mountain range'!" Jinpei berated the Owl.

Ryu ignored him.

"Which one is it?" he asked the Condor.

"It's that big one, in the center." Joe replied, gesturing to his right. He began to walk away, not even looking back to see if the other two were following.

"All the way over _there_?" Ryu moaned. "I didn't know we were going to have to walk that far!"

"Makes you kind of wish for the days when you had to stay behind with the ship, doesn't it?" Jinpei elbowed the Owl.

"Shut up, Jinpei." Ryu grumbled.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Ken and Jun's hike on the other side of Humphrey's Peak was just as long, but they merely set out on their way. The heat from nearby lava flows was oppressive, and they found themselves wilting as they walked, lacking the strength to even talk to each other.

Due to the heat and the mountainous terrain, it took nearly ninety minutes for the two ninjas to reach the area that had been indicated by Agent Murfitt. Fortunately, the information the ISO had obtained appeared to be correct, as they easily located the entrance. It was a narrow shaft barely a meter wide and two meters high.

"I'll go first." Ken stated, and Jun merely nodded, wiping half-heartedly at her brow. The hike had taken a lot out of both of them.

However, once they were inside the tunnel and away from the sunlight and lava flows, the temperature immediately dropped to a comfortable fifteen degrees Celsius.

"Oh, that feels better." sighed Jun happily, some of her energy returning.

"I've never been so glad to get out of the sun." Ken said, leading his third down the passageway, which appeared to be a natural fissure in the rock.

As they walked, Ken tried to think about ways to open a conversation with Jun, about what had happened after their previous mission. Certainly this wasn't the ideal time to do so, but they were alone, and the opportunity was just too good to pass up.

"Ken, look out!" Jun cried, as the ground shook beneath their feet.

The Eagle looked up just in time to see a small rockslide coming straight toward him. Damn! He had been so distracted thinking about Jun that he hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings. Quickly, Ken dove out of the way, but in his haste his hand missed the rock it had reached for, and instead the Eagle cracked his helmet on the stone wall.

A soft hissing noise was the only sound for a moment, but it was quickly replaced with the Swan's voice.

"Ken?" Jun asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Ken said, embarrassed. "I just banged my head, but my helmet took the worst of it."

"What was that hissing noise?" Jun asked him.

"I…" Ken looked around for a second, then realized what it had been.

"I think I just lost my oxygen." he said ruefully, pulling the cracked canister out of his helmet. "So much for that idea."

"Here." Jun said, "Take mine." The Swan pulled the canister from her own helmet and handed it to the Eagle.

"No." Ken shook his head. "You need it."

"Look, Ken, this is no time for false modesty." Jun lectured. "Gatchaman is a much bigger prize than the Swan, and _you're_ more in need of it than I am."

"But, Jun, what if something happens to you?" Ken asked her.

"If that happens," the Swan said, looking the Eagle straight in the eye, "I trust _you_ to get me out, if at all possible."

Ken's heart swelled at the confidence she placed in him, and he nodded as he took the canister from her slim fingers.

"Thank you." he said. But his words conveyed gratitude for much more than the tool she had just handed over to him.

"I wonder why that happened?" Jun mused, seemingly unaware of the Eagle's silent appreciation. "This area isn't supposed to be seismically active."

"These volcanoes are supposed to be extinct." Ken pointed out. "Seismic activity could explain why they are operational again."

"That's true." Jun replied. "I hope the others don't have any problems."

"They'll be fine." Ken assured her. "Joe is with them."

88888

"Come on, Ryu!" Joe snarled, frustrated with the Owl's slow pace. It had been two hours since they had been dropped off by Pimer, and the three ninjas _still_ hadn't reached the Galactor base.

"Sorry, Joe." Ryu panted. The Owl was huffing and puffing his way across the rocky terrain.

"Just wave some sugar in front of him and I'm sure he'll speed up." the Swallow joked.

"That's not funny, Jinpei." the Condor snapped.

The Swallow had the grace to look ashamed.

"Hey, it looks like we're getting close!" he pointed out, in an attempt to change the subject.

Joe looked at the spot the Swallow was indicating. It certainly appeared that they had reached their destination.

Almost.

A large portion of the mountainside had fallen away. Even as the three ninjas realized this, the ground began to shake.

"Earthquake!" Ryu cried, throwing himself onto his stomach.

"Scaredy-cat!" Jinpei teased the Owl, before falling flat on his behind as another tremor unbalanced him.

The Condor merely rolled his eyes at his flailing teammates and maintained his balance as the earth beneath him rocked. The quake certainly explained why a portion of the mountain was missing.

The tremors diminished, allowing the Swallow and the Owl to regain their footing.

A dark spot that was obviously a small cave opening was clearly visible in the middle of the sheer cliff that was now the side of Humphrey's Peak. Not only was the mountainside steep and nearly impossible to climb, but it appeared to be the edge of a large volcanic crater. One thousand feet below the cave was a magma lake emitting noxious clouds of sulfuric gas.

"Ugh, it smells like that egg salad sandwich Ryu left in the Horned Tank!" Jinpei complained, holding his nose and waving his hand underneath.

"Don't you mean the sandwich _you hid_ in the Horned Tank?" Ryu grumbled. "Some joke! It took me a week to get the smell out!"

"Oh… yeah…" Jinpei grinned sheepishly.

"How are we going to get over there?" Ryu asked Joe.

"I'm going to climb over." the Condor shrugged.

"What?" Ryu exclaimed. "That cliff goes straight down! It's almost completely sheer! What the hell makes you think you can climb that?"

"I climbed K3, didn't I?" Joe asked bluntly.

"Yeah, but…"

"I'm going." Joe stated firmly. "If you want to stay behind, go ahead, but I'm continuing on with the mission."

"I'm going too." the Owl replied, changing his tune immediately.

"Me too!" piped the Swallow.

"Okay, follow me, and pay attention to where I place my hands." the Condor instructed them, before moving out to the edge of the cliff.

Ryu and Jinpei followed, determined expressions on their faces.

88888

Ken and Jun had been walking for some time before they began to see signs of Galactor activity. At first it was just some electric lighting, then it was a wider passageway that had obviously been carved out of the rock, and finally the Eagle and the Swan came across a patrol. The two goons had obviously not been expecting to encounter any intruders, and their surprise was their undoing. The guards were quickly taken down by the Bird Saucer and the Aurora Ribbon, before they could raise any alarm.

After that, the Swan and the Eagle stayed in the shadows, moving as quietly as they were capable of and concentrating on being as unobtrusive as possible. Soon they reached a doorway, and after some electrical wizardry on the Swan's part they managed to unlock it.

At this point, there was no question that they were inside an active Galactor base. Green-uniformed soldiers were everywhere, and the two ninjas even spotted one or two strangely-garbed captains.

"This is obviously a large installation." whispered Ken. "No wonder Galactor's making a stand here!"

"Let's try that direction." Jun pointed to a wide corridor. "It looks like there's a lot of traffic that way, so there's got to be something interesting down the hallway."

But of course, the disadvantage to using a heavily traveled corridor was that they encountered a number of goons. The Swan and the Eagle were able to take care of most of them quickly and quietly, but eventually one soldier got away, and it was immediately obvious that he had raised the alarm.

"In here!" Ken said, grabbing Jun's hand and pulling her through a nearby doorway.

It was obvious that the chamber in which they had taken refuge was some kind of warehouse, filled with supplies, spare uniforms and weaponry. The Eagle and the Swan ran quickly to the other side, before locating another exit. The next room was apparently a storage chamber, although it was currently empty.

"Dead end!" said Jun. "Let's go back!"

"Too late!" came Gel Sadra's voice, and the two ninjas looked up to see the Galactor Leader's image on a nearby communications monitor. "You are _mine_ now, Gatchaman!"

Predictably, a white cloud of gas began to fill the small room. The Swan began to cough.

"Get out of here, Ken!" she choked, covering her mouth and falling to the floor, where the air was a little more clear. The Eagle turned back to the door through which they had entered the room, only to discover that it was now locked.

"Use your helmet!" he reminded Jun, before remembering that she didn't have access to that resource any more. She had given her oxygen to him.

Activating his canister, the Eagle slumped to the ground, pretending to be overcome by the gas, but instead surreptitiously breathing the clean air provided by his helmet.

After about five minutes, the flow of gas stopped. Ken's flow of oxygen had kept him safe for much of the time, but he was still feeling slightly woozy. When the air cleared, the Swan lay in a comatose state on the floor while the Eagle sprawled next to her, feigning unconsciousness.

The door to the chamber opened and Gel Sadra entered, accompanied by a number of soldiers. At her orders, the guards placed restraints around both ninjas, although when they were distracted by the Swan's shapely legs, the Eagle shifted just enough to ensure that the bonds around his wrist did not latch. Once he was certain that he was not being observed, Ken began surreptitiously working on his leg restraints, under cover of his wings.

"Looks like we caught ourselves some birdies." the Galactor Leader sang, obviously delighted. "Which one of them should we question first?"

"How about Gatchaman?" one of the goons suggested, looking askance at the apparently sleeping Eagle.

"No…" Gel Sadra replied, chewing a fingernail thoughtfully. "He's been trained to resist torture. Who knows if he would even give in to the serum? But, if we threatened the Swan…" She leered at Jun's inert form, "I'll bet he would be more than willing to co-operate."

"Should we wake her up, then?" asked another soldier.

"Yes, but we'll administer the serum first." Gel Sadra decided. "Just in case she gives us any trouble. I'll give her the same dose we used to incapacitate the Condor."

Ken fought his lethargy to keep working on unlocking his leg restraints, but his head was proving difficult to clear.

Jun was counting on him to keep her safe. He couldn't let Gel Sadra give her whatever drug they had used on Joe.

Unfortunately, right now there wasn't much he could do about it.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Joe grunted with the effort of holding his body up by his fingertips. It was actually proving to be more difficult for him than for Ryu and Jinpei, because of the weight of his cyborg frame. At least on K3 he had had footholds, and here, more often than not, there were none.

Although somehow the Swallow appeared to be having no trouble. The Condor was impressed by the ease with which Jinpei moved across the rock face. Joe guessed it was due to his low body weight, as compared to his physical strength and endurance. The Owl was obviously having trouble, but was managing to keep up with his teammates.

They had made some decent progress, but it had cost them. Joe was exhausted, and the strain was showing on Ryu's face. Only Jinpei appeared unaffected by their effort.

Inch by inch, they made their way across the rock face, stopping every few minutes to rest and search for new hand and footholds. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they were within two feet of the edge of the cave.

"I can't move any more!" moaned the Owl, sweat running down his forehead.

"You can do it, Ryu." the Condor encouraged him. "I'll go up first, and I'll help pull you up, okay?"

"I can help too!" cried Jinpei, and the Swallow skittered across the cliff and into the cave, as if he had been born a spider.

"How do you do that, Jinpei?" Ryu asked, amazed.

"It's easy!" Jinpei shrugged. "Just try!"

"Okay…" Ryu said, encouraged. The Owl lifted his hand.

But it found no purchase.

"Joe!" he cried, swinging dangerously on one handhold.

The Condor swung out, grabbing the edge of the cave with one hand and then the flailing Owl with the other.

"Thanks, Joe!" Ryu grinned, breathing heavily. "I thought I was a goner, there!" The Owl stared nervously at the magma-filled crater below them.

Joe grimaced, the strain showing beneath his visor. The Owl's weight was considerable, and in addition to his own, Joe could barely hold on.

"Can you help pull us up, Jinpei?" he grunted.

The Swallow suddenly realized the precariousness of the situation, and lay down on his stomach, pulling on the Condor's arm that was not holding the Owl.

"You're too heavy!" he said, tears of frustration in his eyes. "Can't you push up?"

"Push up where?" Joe yelled, "I'm holding on with my damn fingers! There are no footholds here!"

It was at that moment that the mountain began to tremble.

"Earthquake!" cried Jinpei.

88888

Gel Sadra approached the Swan, the syringe in her hand. The Eagle's mind screamed out against what he was seeing, but he was unable to stop it.

What would happen to Jun when she was given that Galactor drug? Ken didn't want to find out.

Gel Sadra plunged the needle into the exposed skin of Jun's upper arm. The Swan did not move.

Ken worked frantically at his bonds, his mind clearing rapidly with the urgency of their situation.

"Wake her!" Gel Sadra commanded, and another injection was made in the Swan's other arm.

Slowly, Jun began to stir, her eyelids fluttering. The moment her eyes were able to focus on Gel Sadra, she whimpered in fear, and attempted to move backward, away from her. But it seemed as if the Swan's limbs weren't cooperating. She flailed helplessly, and her expression of panic grew.

"Look, she can't move!" grinned one of the goons.

"Maybe, when the Mistress is done, she'll let us _play_ with her." leered another.

Jun's face swung frantically back and forth between the faces standing over her, and she screamed.

The sound of it tore at Ken's heart. It was something he had never before heard from Jun.

It was the sound of absolute terror.

Whatever they had given the Swan was obviously driving her mad. Ken pulled at his leg restraint desperately.

The catch gave. The Eagle nearly wept with relief, but instead he leapt to his feet, drawing his Bird Saucer as he did so.

"Get away from her!" he growled in a menacing voice.

Gel Sadra was obviously shocked to see Gatchaman standing in front of her with murder raging forth from his eyes.

"If you attack, I'll have her killed!" the Galactor Leader shouted, indicating that her soldiers should point their weapons at Jun.

But the goons were too horrified by the White Shadow to listen to Gel Sadra. They stood, shaking in their boots, and that hesitation was their doom.

The Bird Saucer spun around the room, flashing as it neatly slit the throats of every soldier there, before narrowly missing Gel Sadra's voluminous costume.

"You haven't won, Gatchaman!" she cried as she ran from the room. "You just wait!"

But Ken didn't hear her. He only had eyes for the Swan, who was still quivering in fear on the floor, her eyes rolled back into her head.

"It's okay, Jun." Ken whispered to her. "I've got you." Gently he picked the Swan up, then moved rapidly to the exit.

He didn't have time to fulfill his task. Damn the mission. All that mattered was getting Jun out safely. He had to count on Joe, Jinpei and Ryu to set the charges, and if they didn't that was too fucking bad.

All that mattered now was Jun.

She whimpered as he held her, clutching his wings as if he were the only thing that was between her and an excruciating death. Perhaps, in a way, he was. And Ken certainly wasn't going to let her down now.

Not when he had nearly failed her.

His inability to protect her taunted him. He was the Eagle, the mighty Gatchaman, and yet he wasn't even able to keep his teammate safe, after she had trusted him to take care of her. Deep down, he knew that he wasn't worthy of the Swan. She deserved someone who would take care of her, no matter what: someone who would never find himself coming up short at a crucial moment.

The Eagle raced through the Galactor base, the Swan in his arms. He heard alarms sounding, but he ignored them. Green-suited goons blocked his path, but he merely leapt over them, running across the tops of their heads if necessary, to reach the exit as quickly as possible.

Eventually, he reached the narrow passage through which they had entered the mountain. There were no longer any signs of Galactor soldiers as he pushed through the rock, desperately trying to reach the outside.

But even as he ran, the ground began to shake, and the Eagle could hear the mountain trembling around him. Ken crouched down, covering Jun's body with his own just as a shower of rocks fell on top of them.

There was a sharp pain on his shoulder, and Ken cried out, pulling Jun closer against him. She moaned, as if she were in pain as well. The sound tormented the Eagle, and he cursed the earthquake that was temporarily impeding his progress.

He would get Jun back to the New God Phoenix, no matter what it took.

88888

The mountain shook, causing a small cascade of stones and pebbles to come sliding down the peak, bouncing off of Joe and Ryu's helmets. A particularly large rock landed on the Owl's glove.

"Ouch!" yelled Ryu, pulling his hand away, before realizing that it was the only thing still keeping him on the mountain. Immediately, the Owl swung around, grabbing the Condor's arm. He was now holding onto Joe with both hands, staring with large eyes at the swirling lake of magma below them.

"Ryu, you need to lose some weight!" Joe complained.

"What are we going to do now?" Jinpei asked in a frightened voice. "The rockslide has blocked off the cave entrance behind me!"

"Damn, I wish I had my cablegun!" Joe grumbled, his face showing the strain of holding up both his weight and the Owl's with one hand. "Why did the ISO have to give us these pathetic toys?"

"Cablegun…" Ryu muttered, a lightbulb turning on in his head. "I don't have a cablegun anymore either, but…" The Owl grinned, reaching into his belt.

He pulled out a greenish glob, then threw half of it up the mountainside, where it stuck firmly to the rock, the other half remaining in his hand.

"My Gripper!" Ryu announced proudly, now holding onto his weapon and the Condor's arm.

"That helps a bit, thanks." Joe grimaced. "But it's not going to help us get out of here."

The Condor sighed regretfully.

"Jinpei, call Pimer. We're going to need a pickup."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Ken finally emerged at the mouth of the shaft, only to realize that the oppressive heat outside made it a better idea to stay just inside the entrance to the mountain. The Eagle sat down on the ground, cradling the barely conscious Swan in his arms, then activated his bracelet.

"Pimer!" he called, "I need you at my location, now!"

"G1," came the autopilot's mechanical voice, "I have priority Birdscramble pickup orders from G4. Override?"

Priority Birdscramble? That protocol was only used in case of real emergency. For the moment, Jun appeared peaceful, and there was no immediate Galactor threat.

"No override." Ken sighed. "But pickup at my location ASAP!"

"Acknowledged." Pimer replied, before the communication was terminated.

Briefly, Ken wondered what had happened to Joe, Jinpei and Ryu, that they had called in that level of emergency, but the thought was pushed out of his mind as Jun began to moan and convulse in his arms.

"It will be all right, Jun." Ken told her, pulling her closer to him. "Pimer is coming. You'll be back on the New God Phoenix soon."

"Touch me…."

At first, Ken wasn't certain that he had understood Jun correctly. Her voice was quiet, and her words were slurred.

"Touch me…" she said again, her voice taking on a pleading tone. "I need you…"

The Swan moaned, pressing her body against the Eagle.

Ken's mouth went dry. The way Jun was acting right now was having a significant impact on his physical state. No matter how much he tried to push the feelings aside, they continued, growing ever stronger as she continued to writhe and moan in his arms, her bottom pressing into his lap.

Jun's head rolled back, as if she lacked the strength to hold it up, her chest heaving with her labored breathing.

"Please…"

The Eagle was frozen, unable to move; held prisoner by the tidal wave of arousal that was crashing through him. His body ached, needing to feel the Swan's satin skin against his own.

But a shred of restraint remained. Jun had refused him when he had last approached her. And obviously this wasn't the right time to be thinking about _anything_ of this nature.

But it appeared to be _all_ that Jun was thinking about.

The Swan's gloved hands were running over her breasts and down her torso, almost with a life of their own. She writhed and moaned as she stroked and caressed herself, her fingers teasing her body before the Eagle's astonished eyes.

Jun's eyes were glazed with lust, her head cradled in the crook of his arm. Her face wore a mask of physical longing, her desire becoming more intense with each movement of her hands. Ken had never known that Jun had such an incredibly passionate nature.

He had never been more turned on in his life.

Tentatively, he reached out, almost without realizing what he was doing, to touch her breast. Even through their Birdstyles, the softness of her body evoked memories of their previous intimate encounters. Almost of their own accord, Ken's hands traced her feminine curves, brushing across the red symbol emblazoned on her chest. The Gatchaman symbol. _His symbol_. It was almost as if the Swan had been branded as belonging to the Eagle, and a primal emotion of possessiveness and desire raged from the core of his being.

Unaware of the feelings her actions were evoking in the Eagle, Jun's gloved fingers moved downward, reaching beneath her skirt to stroke at the heart of her femininity. Ken was unable to tear his eyes away as she thrust her hand into her panties, pleasuring herself with a wild abandon he could never have imagined.

"Oh… feels…. so good…"

She moaned in the back of her throat, and the Eagle found himself desperately wishing that his uniform allowed him to touch his own body in the way the Swan was demonstrating. His protective cup was digging into his skin, but somehow the pain only enhanced the incredible sensation of lust washing over him. Ken had to satisfy himself with unclasping Jun's belt and slipping his gloved hands up her dress, to caress her sensitive breasts.

"Oh!" Jun gasped, her soft cries of pleasure only encouraging the Eagle onward in his attentions. Her soft bottom writhed on his engorged length, and he felt her frenzied movements even through the protection of his Birdstyle.

Ken found himself not caring about where they were, or who might come across them. All that mattered at that moment was Jun, and way she was making him feel. Unconsciously, he thrust his hips against her, gratified to find Jun adjusting to accommodate him, pressing herself against his body even as her fingers moved in an increasingly fast rhythm.

The Swan cried out, and the Eagle had never heard a more beautiful sound. It was apparent that Jun was rapidly approaching her crisis.

"Joe!"

An expression of peace graced Jun's face, even as one of horror crossed Ken's visage. His hands froze in place, his ardor instantly replaced with a cold rage.

_Joe_?

He must have heard wrong. That _couldn't_ be what Jun had said.

The Swan appeared to have satisfied the immediate demands of her body, and she curled up against the Eagle's chest, closing her eyes and sighing happily.

"You always know how to please me, Joe."

Jun continued to murmur soft endearments to the Condor, even as the Eagle held her in his arms. His mind was temporarily stunned by what he was hearing. Ken was still trying to process Jun's words; his thoughts attempting to grapple with the reality that was being thrust upon him.

"I love you." she breathed, her chest rising and falling an easy rhythm as she fell into a light sleep.

These were words Ken had longed to hear from Jun for as long as he could remember, although he had never really thought that circumstances would permit it. But now, to hear them coming from her lips, knowing that the feelings she expressed were not for _him_…

It was almost too much to bear.

One thing was for certain: Joe had a hell of a lot to answer for.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Pimer sure is taking his sweet time!" groaned Ryu, his grip loosening ever so slightly on Joe's hand as the force of gravity pulled him down.

"It's only been two minutes since we called him." Jinpei pointed out.

"Two minutes is a long time from down here!" the Owl said in an irritated tone.

"Hey, you don't have to get so cranky with me!" the Swallow huffed.

"I think I see it!" said Joe in a relieved voice. The Condor didn't know which was worse: hanging off of the cliff with one hand or listening to Jinpei and Ryu arguing.

The New God Phoenix was indeed approaching. Unfortunately, the ship was so big that it was unable to enter the crater, and the closest it could get to the three ninjas was about one hundred feet above them.

"Yet again, I miss my damn cablegun!" Joe nearly screamed in frustration. "If this were the old God Phoenix, you'd be up there, Ryu, and I'd bet you'd have no problem getting us out of here!"

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, Joe," Ryu grinned, "but honestly, that thing is twice the size of the old God Phoenix, and it's just not going to fit down here."

"So, how the hell do we board?" Jinpei asked. The Swallow threw himself cross-legged onto the ground, folding his arms in a huff.

"We could use my Gripper, again!" Ryu suggested.

"And how is that giant neon booger going to help us now?" Jinpei asked sarcastically.

"Just watch!" Ryu smirked. The Owl detached the Gripper from the cliff wall, then swung on the Condor's hand as he threw his weapon at the bottom of the New God Phoenix.

The Gripper attached to the ship, and suddenly Ryu let go of Joe's hand, flinging himself upward as his weapon retracted with a loud twang. Just as he was about to crash headfirst into the ship, the Owl snapped his weapon, arcing upward to land feet first on the top of the New God Phoenix, even as the Gripper detached from its bottom.

"Wow!" breathed Jinpei. "I'm never going to make fun of his neon booger again!"

"Well, that's just great for Ryu," Joe sighed, "but how are _we_ getting up there? He already told us that the New God Phoenix was too large to come down here."

But even as the Condor spoke, the two ninjas saw the head of the New God Phoenix lifting up and over the craft.

"No… he _wouldn't_…" Joe breathed. "He wouldn't _dare_!"

But apparently, the Owl _did_ dare. The Eagle Sharp shot out of the nose of its mothership, flying expertly down to just below where Joe and Jinpei were stranded.

"Aniki's going to _kill_ him!" Jinpei whispered.

"I won't tell him, if _you_ don't." the Condor grinned, gratefully letting go of the cliff and gliding down the short distance to land on top of the Eagle Sharp. The Swallow quickly followed: jumping into the air to land on the other side of the G1.

The fighter plane swiftly rose, allowing its two passengers to leap onto the top of the New God Phoenix, before it attempted to rejoin with the ship.

It was here that the Owl's lack of experience flying this particular plane was demonstrated. There was a loud, unmistakable sound of metal scraping against metal echoing throughout the crater as the Eagle Sharp docked.

"I didn't hear that, did you?" Jinpei asked.

"Hear what?" Joe grinned.

88888

"You let Gatchaman get away?" raged Leader X, "I cannot believe your incompetence! You had _Gatchaman_ and another member of the Science Ninja Team under your control, and you just let them walk out of there?"

"I thought that the Eagle had been incapacitated by our sleeping gas." Gel Sadra attempted to explain. "He had been restrained, yet somehow managed to overcome the effects and break his bonds…"

"Foolishness!" shouted X. "You are incompetent! Even Katse was better than this!"

Gel Sadra frowned. It was one thing for Leader X to yell at her, but to be compared unfavorably to Berg Katse was more than she could bear. She was far better than that mutant freak!

"That's hardly fair." she muttered.

"Fair?" raged X. "You want to talk about _fair_? You have wasted three times the amount of resources that Katse did, in only one third of the time!"

"But, Sire," Gel Sadra protested, "Katse primarily used mecha. He rarely had large bases demolished. You force me to construct gigantic bases for the Solar Shift Plan, which the Science Ninja Team easily destroys. If only I were allowed to use mecha as well…"

"Mecha? You want mecha?" shouted X. "How can I trust you with mecha when you're so worthless that you let Gatchaman escape while he is under your control?"

"Please, Sire," Gel Sadra begged, "there is the new mecha right here on the base, just waiting to be deployed! I could use it to crush the New God Phoenix!"

"I was planning to use that mecha to attack the megalopolis of San Frangeles!" X sniffed. "Why should I let _you_ use it first? What have _you_ ever done right?"

"Well, Gatchaman escaped, but he _didn't_ manage to blow up this base!" Gel Sadra pointed out. "It is still a viable part of the Solar Shift Plan!"

"You make a good point." X reluctantly admitted. "All right. Take the mecha and go, before I change my mind."

"Thank you, Sire." Gel Sadra smirked, quickly departing the alien's presence.

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The Eagle boarded the New God Phoenix, carrying the Swan in his arms. Shortly before the ship had reached them, Ken had noticed Jun waking up and becoming more agitated. It was clear that the cycle of emotions and physical stress she had been going through since being administered the Galactor drug was beginning all over again.

Joe turned his head to watch his teammates board the ship, then jumped out of his seat when he saw the condition Jun was in.

"What the hell happened to her?" he raged, rushing over to the Eagle.

"She was drugged by Gel Sadra." Ken responded grimly. "Apparently it was the same substance she gave to you."

"What?" the Condor cried angrily, "How could you let this happen? Do you know what that stuff does?"

"Yes." the Eagle replied, in a deceptively calm voice. "I know _exactly_ what it does."

Joe glanced up, surprised to see the expression of self-righteous anger and condemnation on Ken's face. Instantly, the Condor realized that the Eagle had learned something he hadn't been prepared to accept.

"Then you know how important it is for me to get her to the Medical Bay." Joe replied, his eyes flashing defiantly. "I'm the only one who understands what Jun is going through, and I'm a Medical Officer." The Condor reached out to take the Swan from the Eagle's arms.

"I'll bet you understand what she's going through." Ken growled. "How long were you two alone together in the Medical Bay, after you had been drugged? An hour? Longer?" He pulled Jun's body closer to him, in an effort to keep her from the Condor's grasp.

The Swallow and the Owl sat frozen in their seats, not entirely understanding the scene playing out in front of them.

"Joe…" Jun moaned, her head moving restlessly about.

"I'm here, Jun." he said, touching a gloved finger to her cheek.

"Joe," the Swan turned her head, her eyes focusing momentarily on the Condor, "please… help me…"

"I will, Jun." Joe promised, reaching out for her again. He glared at the Eagle, a dangerous look in his eyes.

A lesser man might have quailed before such scrutiny, but not Gatchaman.

"I'm going with you." he said, his tone giving no doubt that this was _not_ a request. "I need to make sure that Jun is taken care of _properly_."

"But… Aniki," Jinpei piped up, "we need you!"

Ken had almost forgotten that there was anyone else in the room.

"Can't you guys get along without me for a few minutes?" he yelled angrily, only to be taken aback by the image he saw on the viewscreen.

A giant mecha was approaching their position. It had been constructed to resemble a black bear, and was lumbering toward them on its hind legs; its paws swiping in an irritated fashion through the air.

"You stay here." Joe said firmly, taking the Swan from the astonished Eagle. "I'm taking Jun to the Medical Bay."

"But, who's going to man the weapons systems?" Ryu asked. "Don't you want to blow that thing apart, Joe?"

"Jun needs me." the Condor declared. "I'm sure the great Gatchaman can handle shooting off a few Super BMs."

If looks could kill, the Eagle wouldn't have needed Super Bird Missiles to obliterate the Condor right then and there. But the situation called for capitulation, and Ken did so with little grace.

"As soon as this mission is over, we're going to talk." he told Joe threateningly.

"I have no doubt." the Condor rolled his eyes, before rushing off with the Swan to sickbay.

"Wow, Jun must be pretty badly off, if Joe didn't want to shoot the Super BMs!" Jinpei said in a hushed tone.

"Joe's the one who's got it bad." Ken growled under his breath.

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As soon as they arrived at the Medical Bay, Joe laid Jun down gently on the examination table.

"What did that damn Eagle get you into, Jun?" he muttered to himself. "How could he let this happen to you?"

"Joe…" Jun pleaded softly, "I need you…"

"Shhh…. I know." the Condor replied, removing the Swan's helmet to make her more comfortable. "I remember how it felt… how it consumed me."

"Please, Joe," the Swan begged, grabbing the Condor's wings and pulling him down toward her, "touch me…"

"In a second." Joe promised. "First, I'm going to sedate you, so that you can sleep through this until Dr. Nambu can get this thing out of your system, like he did for me."

"Help me…"

With shaking hands, the Condor administered the sedative, his heart clenching at the sight of the Swan's obvious distress.

"There." he said, pulling off his own helmet. "That should start to work in a minute or so."

"Joe…"

"I'm here, Jun." he said, his mouth softly brushing against hers. The Swan pulled him toward her, crushing his lips to her own. The urgency in her kiss stirred his blood, and he found himself wishing he could soothe her in a more unorthodox way. But unfortunately, there wasn't time for that right now. The Condor mentally cursed Gel Sadra for her inconvenient timing.

Jun's hands found his belt, and they began pulling at it, apparently not recognizing that the garment did not unclasp as his civvies belt did. They had never undressed each other from their Birdstyles, and for a moment Joe's thoughts ran away with him, imagining the possibilities.

But even as he did so, the Swan's movements became more lethargic, and her hands dropped to her sides. It was clear that the sedative was beginning to take effect.

"Touch me…" she whispered, softly kissing her lover.

"I want to," Joe explained, "but first, I've got a mecha to destroy."

"There's always a damned mecha…" Jun murmured, before drifting off to sleep.

"Not for long." Joe smiled, kissing her forehead softly before replacing his Bird Helmet.

"Sweet dreams, Jun."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The New God Phoenix jerked as Ryu narrowly avoided one of the bear mecha's paws. The mecha-animal continued to bat at the ship, while the Owl was stretched to the full extent of his piloting abilities to avoid the flailing bear arms.

"Can't you shoot at it, Ken?" Ryu asked in frustration.

"I'm trying!" the Eagle snapped. He was at the Condor's station, attempting to lock the targeting scanners. Somehow, Joe always made it look so easy: like all he did was randomly slam his fist on the red button. Ken supposed that was like saying all that the Owl did to pilot the ship was move the thruster levers.

Finally Ken felt that he had appropriately targeted his shot, and he depressed the red button, sending a Super Bird Missile directly at the bear's chest… only to be deflected by a swipe of the mecha's paw. The Super BM bounced harmlessly off into the mountains and detonated a good distance away.

"Damnit!" Ken shouted, trying again. As before, the bear easily deflected the missile.

"Uh, maybe you should try the Vulcan Cannons, Aniki." Jinpei offered helpfully.

"When I want your advice, Jinpei, I'll ask for it!" the Eagle yelled. Still, the Swallow noticed that Ken was switching weaponry, as he had suggested.

As Ken attempted to control the Weapons Systems, the bear opened its mouth, shooting forth a spray of its own missiles. Fortunately, Ryu was able to dodge the Galactor weapons fire.

The Vulcan Cannons were able to get through the defensive barrier put up by the bear's paws, but they appeared to have no effect on the mecha itself.

"It's not even scratching the paint!" the Owl said, astounded.

"Uh, I think that's _fur_." the Swallow pointed out.

"It's a figure of speech, Jinpei!" The Eagle was definitely past the point of appreciating the commentary of the young ninja. Ken was obviously having difficulty aiming the cannons as well. At some point, he just gave up and began depressing the red button at a rapid pace, hoping something would hit.

As it happened, one shot did turn out to be lucky. The mecha moved at the last minute, and one of Ken's shots nicked the edge of the bear's mouth, as it opened to emit another volley of missiles. A few of the bear's 'teeth' fell out, and a small amount of smoke came from the mecha's gaping maw.

"The mouth!" shouted Ken, "That's where it's vulnerable!"

But apparently whomever was in charge of the mecha had realized that its weakness had been tipped to the Science Ninja Team. The bear no longer opened its jaws, instead attacking with its paws and with red lasers emitted from its ears.

"Why the hell won't it open its mouth again?" The Eagle's finger hovered impatiently over the red button. The position he found himself in yielded a sudden insight into the Condor's personality.

"I think Galactor's actually learning…" the Owl said, astounded.

"We need to give it a good target!" Ken declared, standing up straight and pounding his fist into his hand. "I'm going out in the Eagle Sharp!"

"But, Aniki, if you go out in the Eagle Sharp, we won't be able to use our weapons!" Jinpei protested.

"That won't matter, Jinpei," Ken insisted, "because when I get close enough, I'm going to blow that thing up myself."

With that statement, the Eagle ran out of the room, headed for his individual mecha.

The Swallow walked over to the Weapons Station, regarding it with an expression of awe.

"Do you think if _I_ use this, I'll turn into Joe too?"

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Joe walked back onto the Bridge, his eyes alighting on the Swallow who was manning the Weapons Station.

"Hey!" the Condor cried, yanking the boy out of his seat. "What the hell are you doing in my chair?"

"I wanted to turn into you!" Jinpei cried.

"What?" Joe asked, confused. "Where's Ken?"

"He went off to take on the mecha by himself in the Eagle Sharp!" Ryu explained.

The confusion on the Condor's face was quickly replaced by anger.

"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Joe raged. "That thing isn't half as powerful as the New God Phoenix, and if he leaves the ship he's going to prevent us from using our weapons!"

The internal comm system came to life, and the Eagle's voice filled the Bridge.

"What the hell happened to my plane?"

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A few moments later, the Eagle Sharp shot out of the nose of the New God Phoenix, with Ken cursing a blue streak during the entire sequence of launch procedures. A long, deep scratch was clearly visible in the red paint along the jet's side.

"Damn, Ryu, that's impressive!" whistled Joe.

The Owl blushed, but did not respond.

The New God Phoenix continued to avoid the bear mecha's paws, providing cover for the Eagle Sharp, which appeared to be taunting the bear's mouth. The jet streaked back and forth, daring the mecha to attack.

"That idiot better know what he's doing…" Joe growled. But given that the plane had already separated from the New God Phoenix, there wasn't much the Condor could do about the Eagle's actions.

Galactor took the bait. The bear's mouth opened, and the Eagle Sharp took up an attack position.

"Firing Vulcan Cannons!" came Ken's voice through their bracelets.

But before the Eagle could carry out his intentions, the mecha did something completely unexpected. Rather than shooting missiles at Gatchaman's plane, it opened wide, moved quickly, and clamped its jaws around the red jet.

The Eagle Sharp was firmly caught between the bear's remaining teeth. The Science Ninja Team could clearly see the plane attempting to break free, but it was unable to do so. Even worse, the angle at which the jet had been captured prevented Ken from firing into the mecha.

"Damn it, I'm stuck!" shouted Ken, just before another stream of curses came from their bracelets. The Swallow's mouth fell open as he heard his Aniki swearing like a sailor. The sound of the Eagle's voice shut off abruptly as the communication ended.

"He really did turn into Joe!" Jinpei whispered.

"Maybe I can shoot the jaw off of that thing." Joe suggested. "_If only I had access to weapons!_"

"Hey, Joe, weren't you able to fix it before, when the connections in the Condor Attacker Bay were broken?" Ryu reminded him.

"Yeah, I used my entire body as a conduit!" retorted Joe. "And that would kind of prevent me from firing weapons, now wouldn't it?"

"I could go out there in my Helico!" Jinpei suggested.

But even as the Condor considered the suggestion, the bear's jaws began to compress, and it was clear that the Eagle Sharp was being crushed.

"Aniki!" the Swallow cried, clutching at his helmet.

The three ninjas watched in horror as the now flattened Eagle Sharp was tossed out of the mecha's mouth, only to bounce off of the rocks below and into one of the numerous lava flows. The twisted remains of the Eagle Sharp quickly melted in the intense heat.

The main computer beeped, indicating that there was an incoming communication. Out of habit, the Owl routed it to the main viewscreen.

Gel Sadra's face filled the screen, as the Galactor Leader laughed at the occupants of the New God Phoenix.

"We have the Eagle!" she crowed. Ken's slumped body, held up by two green-suited goons, was clearly visible behind her.

"But…" she continued.

Joe's head snapped up. _But_? What kind of _but_ did she have in mind?

"We are willing to give him up," Gel Sadra offered, "_if_ the Condor surrenders in his stead." The smile on the Galactor Leader's face sent thoughts of bloody revenge through Joe's head.

"You have two minutes to agree, before Gatchaman is executed." Gel Sadra's voice sounded almost bored. The communication was terminated.

A myriad of thoughts went through Joe's head. At that moment he was furious with Ken, both for his attitude toward Jun, and for the mess he had gotten himself into. This kind of hotheadedness was completely uncharacteristic of the Eagle.

On the other hand, such recklessness was typical of Ken when he had been emotionally thwarted. He had displayed just this kind of behavior after his father had been killed.

And above all, no matter how Joe felt about Ken personally at that moment, the Eagle _was_ his superior. The Condor owed him his allegiance, even if it meant letting himself be captured by that bitch who was currently in charge of Galactor.

Damn, he hated the Eagle at that moment.

Without a word, the Condor turned and left the Bridge.

"He's not actually going to _surrender_, is he?" Jinpei asked, aghast.

But even as the Swallow voiced his shock, a small indigo form was clearly visible on the viewscreen. The Condor glided down to the bear mecha, landing on its nose. A hatch in front of him opened, and Joe was let inside of the mecha.

"I sure hope he knows what he's doing." said Ryu quietly.

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"So, your loyalty to Gatchaman outweighs your hatred for Galactor." Gel Sadra purred to the surrendering Condor. "How touching."

"A spineless flunky like you knows _nothing_ about loyalty." Joe growled. "All you know how to do is grovel before Leader X: throwing yourself on his mercy day after day."

The Galactor Leader blanched, as the Condor's words hit uncomfortably close to home. He _had_ to be guessing. How could he know of her true relationship with Leader X? Gel Sadra's face burned with her shame.

"Your insolence shall be your undoing." she snarled, turning to her guards.

"Subdue him!" Gel Sadra ordered.

A glass tube was lowered from the ceiling, encompassing the place where Joe stood, and the familiar white sleeping gas quickly filled the small chamber. Before his enemy's eyes, the Condor slumped to the floor, his wings splaying out behind him.

"Shall we release Gatchaman now, Mistress?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Of course not!" Gel Sadra laughed nastily. "Why would we do such a ridiculous thing? But we _will_ keep him around as a hostage for the Condor's continued _good_ _behavior_."

The Galactor Leader smiled to herself. _Finally_ she had Condor Joe _exactly_ where she wanted him. _This_ time, there would be no interruptions, and she would get _exactly_ what she desired of him.

And Gel Sadra's desires knew no bounds.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Gel Sadra smiled to herself, observing the sleeping, restrained Condor lying before her. Even in this state, she could sense his power, and she longed to unleash that power for her pleasure. Her body was becoming agitated just thinking about it. Slowly, she smoothed her hands over herself, in the final anticipation of this moment that she had been waiting for.

They were alone. The Science Ninja Team was truly incapacitated, with the Eagle under her control, and the Swan drugged to the hilt. The Owl and The Swallow remained on their ship, but Gel Sadra knew that without the Eagle Sharp (which had been completely melted in the lava flow) it was impotent: unable to perform the Science Ninja Technique: Firebird or fire any weapons.

_Now_ was the moment when she would finally realize her fantasies. This magnificent male specimen would show her what she had been missing. Briefly, Gel Sadra debated how long she could keep him alive, satisfying her needs, before Leader X demanded that he be killed. Hopefully, with the execution of Gatchaman to appease him, X would allow her to keep the Condor as a plaything for some time.

Her hands quivered slightly as she picked up the syringe. _This_ time, nothing would go wrong. It would be as it should have been before; as it _would_ have been, if that damned Swan hadn't interrupted them.

Gel Sadra approached the Condor, moving his head back so that a small amount of his neck was exposed above his cowl as an injection site.

She held up the needle. This was it: the culmination of the plan she had begun all of those weeks ago…

The Condor's hand snapped up, breaking his bonds and grabbing Gel Sadra's wrist all in one fluid movement. The Galactor Leader screeched in surprise and pain, as the raw power of her enemy quickly overwhelmed her.

"_Now_ who's in control, Gel Sadra?" Joe hissed, forcing her hand. He silently thanked Dr. Nambu for creating the oxygen canister inside of his helmet. His protection against Galactor's sleeping gas was now allowing him to exact his revenge. And it would be _very_ sweet indeed.

The needle moved perilously close to bare skin, and then in one smooth motion the Condor jabbed the Galactor Leader, plunging the needle into her neck and holding it there, until he was certain that the drug had entered her system.

Gel Sadra fell to the floor screaming, her terror only increasing as the drug began to take hold of her emotional and physical state. The Condor stood over his enemy, grinning wickedly at her panicked state. It was obvious that he was enjoying himself immensely.

Oh, how he wanted to kill her now, and be done with it. Joe's hands twitched, eager to close around her throat, to rip her heart out from her chest, to snap her neck like a twig.

But a small voice in the back of his mind protested. Certainly there would be temporary satisfaction in such an act, but what would it really accomplish? If Gel Sadra were dead, another person would be found to lead Galactor. The Condor knew Gel Sadra and understood her weaknesses. She was a spoiled, selfish, childlike woman who rarely thought for herself and who cared nothing for her troops. She was someone who was easily defeated; her replacement might not be.

The _true_ enemy was the alien being known as X. The presence of the living death that resided inside his chest told him that. X didn't realize it, but having such a short-sighted, self-centered minion in charge of Galactor actually made the Science Ninja Team's job much easier.

Damn. He would have to let her live.

But there was no way the Condor was going to let Gel Sadra get away with what she had done to him in the Ural Mountains. Yet, as his enemy thrashed in terror on the floor in front of him, Joe realized that he already had his revenge. Gel Sadra was going to have to endure the agony of the serum that _she_ had had created. And for her, there was no Dr. Nambu to alleviate its effects. She would have to live with the emotional extremes of the drug for days.

He smiled at the thought.

Gel Sadra's heart was pounding. She had never been so horrified to look upon a member of the Science Ninja Team. How could she have ever thought that the Condor could be brought under her control? He was a terrifying madman, a psychotic lunatic with cyborg strength, capable of killing her as much as looking at her.

Condor Joe leaned over her, the cold glint of sadism in his eyes. His hands reached out to her, and she screamed again, the high-pitched sound echoing throughout the room. Everything went black…

The next thing she knew, he was slapping her, tossing her head back and forth to bring her out of her faint. When he saw that she had awoken, the Condor tossed her onto the floor in an unceremonious heap.

"You're not worth my time, Bitch." he drawled, casually flicking feather shuriken at her so that they pierced her arms, her legs, her hands, effectively pinning her body to the floor. The Condor stepped over her, moving toward the door, sharply burying his boot in the pit of her stomach as he did so. His other foot crushed her hand as it came down, and she could hear the sound of breaking bones beneath his heel.

Still, that was nothing compared to the intense relief she felt at the thought that he _might_ actually be leaving.

"Remember my _mercy_ this time, Gel Sadra." the Condor intoned in a dreadful voice. "The next time we meet will be the last."

With that, he flung the door open, gave her one last scathing look, and took off down the corridor.

A few seconds later, three green-uniformed soldiers ran into the room, frantically looking around.

"Mistress!" one cried, "What has that maniac done to you?"

The goon ran to Gel Sadra, carefully lifting her to a standing position. Unfortunately, her legs buckled, and he was forced to bring her over to the table that the Condor had recently vacated.

Gel Sadra's heart beat faster, but her body was no longer consumed with terror. Instead, she was being taken over by different feelings… why had she never realized how attractive mullets and fangs were before?

"Come here, Soldier!" she ordered, gasping for air. "I _need_ your services…"

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"Any sign of Aniki?" Jinpei asked Ryu nervously.

"No." the Owl replied. "And I don't think there will be. If Gel Sadra were going to release him, she would have done so by now."

"Why do you think she wanted Joe?" the Swallow asked.

"I'm not sure," Ryu shrugged, "but we've got a mission to finish. If we can destroy the mecha then they'll probably have a chance to escape."

"But, how can we destroy the mecha when we can't use weapons?" Jinpei asked.

"Says who?" Ryu replied. "You've still got the Helico, and I have the Horned Tank. And Jun could…"

"No." Jinpei shook his head. "When I went in to check on Onechan, she was completely out of it. She's not capable of doing anything, right now. Joe must have given her a pretty heavy sedative."

"Then it's up to us." Ryu said firmly. "Come on, Jinpei, you've got to find a weakness in that thing. How do we get past its shields?"

"How should I know?" the Swallow cried.

"You've seen Jun do this stuff lots of times!" the Owl pointed out. "You're supposed to be helping her. Haven't you learned _anything_?"

"Of course I have!" Jinpei said, his chest puffing out. "Let's see… what would Onechan do?" The Swallow bent over his console and began to run analyses of the mecha based on the data gathered by the New God Phoenix sensors so far.

A few minutes later, Jinpei called the Owl over to his station.

"Look at this, Ryu!" he said. "I ran a hyperspectral analysis, and this is strange. Do you think I did it right?" The boy looked up anxiously.

"I think you did it right, Jinpei." Ryu said slowly. "But I agree, this is strange. Look at this spike here…"

"Yeah, that's what I thought!" Jinpei replied, growing more confident. "It's almost as if the shields aren't part of the mecha."

"No, I think they're part of the mecha." the Owl said. "But… I think the shield _generator_ isn't."

"That's it!" Jinpei cried, leaping up joyfully. "The shield generator is in the base! _That's_ why we can't destroy it! We're not even shooting at it!"

"Okay, little buddy! You know what to do!" Ryu grinned.

"I'm on my way!" Jinpei cried, rushing to his Helico.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The Eagle sat on the floor, surrounded by force fields and bored-looking goons. Ken's knees were drawn up to his chin, and he had wrapped his wings around himself, so that most of his body was not visible to the guards. He bent his head so that his eyes focused on the small amount of floor he could see beneath his feet.

Ken silently cursed himself. How could he have been so stupid… so reckless? He had rushed out into a situation without thinking through all of the possible ramifications, and all because he had been furious with Joe.

If he were completely honest, Ken knew that he was also furious with himself. Whatever may… or may not… have happened between Joe and Jun, the Eagle was partly to blame. He had never properly expressed his feelings to Jun, yet at the same time, he had never been able to cut himself off from her either. It was his own weakness that had left her vulnerable to the Condor's advances.

That Galactor drug… it had shown him a side of Jun he hadn't known existed. Where had it come from?

Had _Joe_ been the one to bring out that part of the Swan's nature?

The very thought made his blood boil. And it wasn't just that Jun might have let the Condor into her bed.

It was that Ken had been unable to bring the same level of passion to their own intimacy.

He was Gatchaman, damnit! The Swan was _supposed_ to be…

His head jerked up with the sudden revelation.

He had taken Jun for granted.

She was the most incredible woman he had ever known… _would_ ever know… and he had taken her for granted, assuming that she would just be there for him whenever he needed her. Sure, Ken had felt guilty for leading her on, but deep in his heart that had been what he _wanted_: to have Jun pining away for him.

And now, he knew that wasn't the case.

With a heavy heart, the Eagle realized that it wasn't the Condor's 'fault'… it was _his_.

And Gel Sadra had made that ridiculous threat to get Joe to surrender himself. There was no way Joe would _ever_ fall for something so obvious! As if Galactor would execute the Eagle before torturing him, and bringing him to Leader X! Joe had to know that much, at least.

Gatchaman was on his own.

Suddenly the door to the Detention Area banged open, and a dark blue shape flew into the room, arms and legs thrusting as it whirled through the guards, leaving a path of broken, twisted bodies behind.

The last soldier fell, and the form stopped, standing slowly to reveal the figure of the Condor.

"Joe!" Ken gasped, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too, Ken." Joe said dryly. The Condor walked over to the control panel and pressed the button to release the force fields around the Eagle.

Ken stood up, astonished to see his second there. He was about to speak when the room shook.

The comm system came to life, echoing throughout the mecha.

"The Shield Generator is under attack. All personnel to battle stations. This is _not_ a drill." The sound of hurried footsteps filled the corridor.

"Sounds like Jinpei and Ryu are doing fine without us." Joe grinned.

"But they could always use a little assistance." Ken smiled.

"Then let's go help them." Joe suggested.

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"Great work, Jinpei!" Ryu said through the Swallow's bracelet. "I think that got their attention!"

"It sure did!" Jinpei replied in an alarmed voice. "They're coming for me!"

The bear mecha had been still ever since the Condor had surrendered himself, but it was now moving toward the Swallow Helico, red lasers coming from its ears.

"I'll try to distract them!" Ryu said, moving the New God Phoenix between the mecha and the Helico.

"I can see the base!" Jinpei crowed. "It's behind the shield generator I destroyed! I've got a good shot!"

"Jinpei, you have to get out of there!" Ryu insisted, "I don't know how much longer I can run interference with this thing!"

"Just a few more seconds…" begged Jinpei. "I've got it in my sights…"

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The Eagle and the Condor left the room, running out into the now empty corridor, in search of the main control room for the mecha. Fortunately, Joe had learned something of the mecha's layout while searching for Ken, and they were able to locate the Command Center within a couple of minutes.

Silently counting to three, the two ninjas burst into the room, moving in opposite directions. Ken's Bird Saucer flew through the air, taking out a handful of guards, while Joe's shuriken found their targets with deadly accuracy. The Condor punched an oncoming goon in the stomach, then flipped the unfortunate soldier's body behind him, tripping yet another group of attacking green-uniformed guards. Ken's leg shot out in a side kick, breaking a goon's ribs with a sickening crack before the Eagle's other leg swept around to fell another opponent.

In less than thirty seconds, all resistance in the room had been eliminated, save for a sniveling Captain.

"I will not let you take over this mecha!" he declared, hiding behind a nearby console. "If you come any closer, I'll set the self-destruct!"

"Perfect." Ken smiled, a malicious gleam in his eyes as he approached the hapless Galactor. "I'd love nothing more than to see this mecha blown to pieces."

Uncertainty crept across the Captain's face as the Eagle drew nearer to his position. Realizing that his ploy wasn't going to work, he pulled his last ace out of his sleeve.

"Our missiles are trained on that bird plane down there!" he cried frantically, gesticulating wildly at the viewscreen. "If I press this button, it will be obliterated! One of your Science Ninja Team will die!"

"He's right." Joe confirmed, analyzing the computer readouts. "It's the Swallow Helico. It looks like Jinpei's done a pretty good job of blowing through the mountainside to get to the base." The Condor couldn't help the note of pride in his voice.

"Of course," Ken said casually, "you'd actually have to press that button _first_."

Before the hapless Captain realized what was happening, the Bird Saucer had sliced through his throat and already returned to the Eagle's hand. The Galactor slumped to the ground, his lifeless body sprawling across the floor.

"What's Jinpei doing, anyhow?" Ken asked, turning his attention to the main viewscreen. From this angle, he realized that the Command Center they were in had to be located behind the bear's eyes.

"It looks like… Oh _shit_!"

The Condor threw himself on the floor, the Eagle quickly following suit as a pair of Swallow Missiles crashed through the main viewscreen, then tore through the interior walls of the mecha as if they were paper, before detonating three seconds later.

The moment they saw the missiles fly over their heads, the Eagle and the Condor leapt into the air, launching themselves out through the now broken eyes of the bear mecha and into the sky. The heat and force of the explosion a bare second later propelled them higher into the air, catapulting them to an altitude where they could easily see the mass of destruction wrought by the tiny Helico.

And then, gravity's inexorable pull took over, and the two ninjas plunged back toward the ground.

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"What the hell did you do, Jinpei?" Ryu asked, astounded. "I thought they were going to blast you, for sure!"

"I thought so too!" the Swallow's voice came through the Owl's bracelet. "I saw the mouth open and all of those missiles pointed at me, and I thought maybe if I sent some Swallow Missiles that way it might intercept them…. only… I missed…"

"I'll say!" Ryu exclaimed. "You hit the eyes instead of the mouth! But it looks like a good shot: the entire head is gone! Keep shooting!"

"Roger!" Jinpei ended the communication. The Owl could almost hear the grin in the Swallow's voice.

The Owl looked up on his viewscreen, noticing two small shapes, one white and one blue, gliding through the sky above him.

"Right on time." Ryu smiled to himself, moving the New God Phoenix up to meet his teammates.

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"What happened, Gel Sadra?" Leader X raged at his underling. "You held Gatchaman as your prisoner, and the Condor as well! How could they escape?"

The Galactor Leader whimpered on the floor, hiding underneath her voluminous cape. She was terrified beyond belief, and the fact that the 'truth serum' was still running through her veins didn't help matters any.

"Answer me!" raged X, his image seeming to grow three times its size in the space of an instant.

"Forgive me!" screamed Gel Sadra, prostrating herself on the ground before the alien. She cried out again as X invaded her mind, inflicting the torturous pain of which only he was capable. The Galactor Leader was not certain how long she endured this agony, only that the excruciating pain took over her entire existence in a way that forced her to surrender the physical nature of her body to this vicious alien.

"You barely made it out alive yourself!" X sneered. "You were so incompetent that you couldn't even make it to your own escape pod! Just _what_ were you doing as the mecha exploded around you? If it hadn't been for the three soldiers with you…"

"I have failed you, Leader!" sobbed Gel Sadra, tearing at her hair in a mad panic. "I am not worthy to serve you!"

These words seemed to mollify X, and he returned to his normal size.

"Unfortunately, you are the _only_ person I have to serve me, right now." The alien said in an irritated tone. "Until I locate another human with your DNA patterns, you will _have_ to suffice."

"Oh, thank you, Leader!" Gel Sadra groveled, bowing low before X. "I will not fail you again!"

"Somehow, I doubt that." the alien sighed reluctantly.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Despite their victory, the Science Ninja Team was quiet for their return journey to G-Town. Joe retreated to the Medical Bay to sit with Jun, and for some reason known only to himself, Ken did not follow, but merely sat in silence at his station. The tension that had existed before the mecha attack was still there, although somewhat more muted, and the usual jocular commentary between the Swallow and the Owl was not present on the Bridge.

The moment they returned back to base, a still-sedated Jun was escorted to the Medical Center and placed under Dr. Nambu's care, while the rest of the team gave their reports to Dr. Pandora. After the required medical exams, Jinpei and Ryu headed for the Common Area for snacks and video games, while Ken took Joe aside.

"We need to talk." the Eagle said quietly. His tone was not condemning, but his manner suggested that this was more than just a casual chat.

Joe nodded. He had been expecting this, and figured he might as well get it over with. So much the better if Jun was not present; he could at least spare her this confrontation. She had been through enough without having to deal with Ken's wounded ego.

The two men walked into a nearby conference room. After confirming that it was empty, Ken carefully closed and locked the door behind them.

Joe leaned against the wall in his usual pose, waiting for the Eagle to make the first move. After all, this was _Ken's_ problem, and not his.

Ken paced the length of the room three times, not certain where to begin. Joe waited patiently, not giving any indication that he was aware of the delay.

"This afternoon, when Jun and I…" Ken began, but then he stopped. He took a deep breath, and began again.

"This drug that Gel Sadra gave to you, and to Jun… it enhances sexual desire, doesn't it?"

"That's one way of putting it," Joe shrugged, "but your description is pretty mild, as compared to the actual experience."

"And what _is_ that experience?" Ken's voice revealed the anger simmering below his calm exterior. Despite the warning sign, Joe chose to answer the question honestly.

"It consumed me." he said bluntly. "It was all I wanted, all I thought about, and nothing else mattered. The slightest touch set me off, and I felt like I would _die_ if I didn't get what I needed."

The impassive look on the Condor's face as he said this chilled Ken's soul. The Eagle was getting into things that, deep down, he didn't truly want to know. And yet, a sadistic part of his nature pressed on, demanding that he find out _exactly_ what had happened between the Condor and the Swan.

"And did you?" he spat.

"Did I what?"

"Did you… 'get what you needed'."

"Not exactly."

This was not the answer Ken had been expecting. He stood in silence for a moment, digesting this piece of information before speaking again.

"What happened, in the Medical Bay, after we pulled you out of that Galactor Base in the Urals?"

"Jun realized pretty quickly that I was drugged, and she gave me a mild sedative."

"But that's not _all_ she gave you." Ken accused.

"What are you implying, Ken?"

"You know damn well what I'm implying!"

"I do." the Condor acknowledged. "I just want to hear you say it."

The Eagle took a deep breath, speaking slowly through gritted teeth.

"Did you, under the influence of this drug, have sex with Jun?"

Once the words were spoken aloud, Ken realized how ridiculous they sounded. But it was too late to take them back now.

"No."

The Eagle let out a long sigh of relief, the tension beginning to ease from his body.

"Not that I didn't try." Joe added.

Ken's head snapped up, glaring at the Condor.

"Jun was surprised, and somewhat… accommodating… given the circumstances, but it didn't go that far." Joe finished.

"How far did it go?" Ken asked angrily, his fists clenching at his sides.

"Do you really need to know that, Ken?" Joe asked, staring icily at the Eagle. "I could ask you the same question."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" shouted Ken. He hadn't expected Joe to turn the tables on him.

"This afternoon." Joe elaborated. "You were alone with Jun for quite awhile after she had been drugged. And you seem to have some insights as to the drug's effect on her."

"And your point is?"

"My point is, how accommodating were _you_ to Jun?"

"That's none of your business!"

"Then why is what happened between Jun and myself any of _your_ business?"

"It's different!" Ken retorted. "Jun and I, we have… had… an understanding…"

"What kind of understanding was _that_ Ken?" Joe asked, his eyes flashing dangerously. "She told me that you two had no _obligations_ between you. That those were your _exact_ words."

"We… we don't."

"So, why all of the questions?"

The Condor smiled grimly. He had forced the Eagle into a corner, and he knew it. Ken would either have to back off, or admit some painful truths.

To his credit, the Eagle chose the latter course of action.

"I need her." Ken said quietly.

"Then we have something in common." Joe replied calmly. "I need her too."

"I'm not really in a position to have a relationship." Ken tried to explain. "Jun understands that. But she's always been there for me, when I needed her."

"I don't think she's interested in that arrangement any longer." Joe said.

"No, in fact, she…" The light of understanding dawned in Ken's eyes. "It's because of _you_, isn't it?"

"What's because of me?"

"She turned me down… because of _you_."

"I'd like to think so, yes."

"But you said that things didn't go that far…"

"I think you're confusing sex and love, Ken." Joe lectured. "And frankly, it doesn't surprise me that someone with such repressed emotions has trouble telling the two apart."

"Who the hell are _you_ to be talking about repressed emotions?" Ken demanded. "Seems to me that _you're_ the one who's been hiding away from the rest of us. It's practically like you're still dead!"

"Touché." Joe gave a wry grin. "I'll admit, I haven't dealt with certain… changes… very well."

"You haven't dealt with them at all!" Ken cried, moving closer to the Condor, angrily shoving him in the chest. "You've just shut yourself off from the rest of us… except Jun. Instead of shutting yourself off, you took advantage of her!"

"I did _not_ take advantage of Jun." growled Joe, his hands trembling. He very much wanted to smash his fist into the Eagle's face at this moment, and only a hair's breadth of restraint was holding him back.

The Eagle apparently had no such compunctions.

"The hell you didn't!" he shouted, pulling back his fist, only to smash it into the wall as the Condor moved his head aside at the last second.

Joe's leg shot out for a sweep, knocking Ken to the floor. The Eagle landed in a crouch, gracefully rolling back up to his feet and sinking his fist into Joe's gut, as the Condor's foot landed on his side.

The two men pulled apart, breathing heavily and glaring at each other for a moment.

"You may not believe this, Ken, but Jun doesn't do anything _she_ doesn't want to." Joe spat.

"So, you're claiming that she _wanted_ you in her bed?" Ken asked bitterly.

"I would _never_ be with a woman who didn't _want_ me, Ken." Joe said angrily. "I don't have to force _anyone_, and I wouldn't want to."

"I didn't mean to imply that you forced her into anything." Ken said.

"But that's what you _did_ imply." Joe pointed out resentfully. "You can't imagine that Jun would want to be with _anyone_ but the mighty Gatchaman."

To hear his innermost thoughts laid bare like that sent the Eagle into a rage. He thrust his arm out to hit the Condor, but Joe had anticipated the move, and expertly blocked it.

They stood in this stalemate for a long moment, each staring the other down: their eyes, their expressions, their body language communicating the anger that existed between them.

Eventually, Joe realized that Ken was too emotional to back down, as long as the Eagle felt that the Swan still had those kinds of feelings for him. The Condor knew that he would have to explain what existed between himself, and Jun.

"Things didn't go that far… _at first_." Joe said bluntly, "But once we had crossed that barrier, we realized that there were certain feelings between us, that had been there for some time. Something _more_ than just sex."

Ken felt as if he had been punched in the gut. His worst nightmare had just come true.

Jun was in love with someone else.

That it was Joe, his _best friend_, that she was in love with, only made things worse.

That afternoon, as Ken had held her in his arms, Jun had said, 'I love you, Joe.'

Jun loved Joe.

The realization splashed him in the face like icy cold water. Ken backed away, dropping into a chair, his face pale and drawn.

"This afternoon… when I was waiting for Pimer to pick us up… she asked me to touch her." Ken whispered. "But… she wasn't asking _me_."

The Eagle looked up at the Condor.

"She was asking _you_." he admitted.

"How do you know?" Joe asked, an intent look on his face.

"She… she said your name." Ken confessed. "She said that she loved you."

An expression of relief crossed Joe's face. A second later it was gone, but it was too late. Ken had seen it.

It suddenly occurred to Ken, that despite the Condor's cool demeanor, Joe had been as afraid of what had happened between the Eagle and Jun, as Ken had been of what had happened between Joe and Jun.

Comprehension dawned in the Eagle's mind. Joe _didn't_ care that Ken had touched Jun.

The Condor only cared that Jun had said that she loved _Joe_.

Joe's statement about the difference between love and sex was suddenly made clear.

"I guess…" Ken paused, his emotional pain reflected in his eyes, "I guess you're the one she _really_ wants."

"And how do you feel about that, Ken?"

"It kills me."

The words left Ken's mouth before he could stop them, but they were obviously the truth.

There was silence for a long moment, and then Joe spoke again.

"So, how are you going to feel when Jun and I are obviously together?" Joe pressed him. "Now that you know, it's going to be difficult to hide it from everyone else."

_When_.

Joe hadn't said _if_ they were together. He had said _when_. This was obviously much more of a reality than Ken wanted to admit.

But Ken _had_ to deal with this. What was he going to say? He could rail and protest, but was that really going to change anything, or just cause more tensions among the team?

Ken could go to Jun, and offer himself as an alternative to Joe. He could be the man Jun needed, instead of just someone who was only there occasionally.

But Ken wasn't ready for that. He wasn't sure he ever would be.

So there was really only one thing to say.

"I'll deal with it."

The Condor gave him a disbelieving look, but didn't refute the Eagle's statement.

"I appreciate that, Ken."

"But if you _ever_ hurt her…"

"I won't."

The Condor's face was steadfast, and the Eagle recognized his determination.

Joe held out his hand. Ken stared at it for a long time, before taking it in his own.

They had come to an understanding.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"_Happy Birthday to you!_

_Happy Birthday to you!_

_Happy Birthday dear Joe!_

_Happy Birthday to you!"_

The slightly off-key chorus ended with a loud burst of applause as the Condor leaned over his birthday cake. His expression was a mixture of wry amusement and awe, as if he couldn't believe that this was happening to him, or that everyone else was being so corny about it.

Then, out of the corner of his eye Joe caught a glimpse of Jun smiling at him, and his composure slipped in favor of a goofy grin as he blew out the candles.

The Swan looked perfectly content, sitting next to Joe in the Snack J booth, her arm linked through his. Jinpei bounced excitedly on the bench on the Condor's other side, while Ken and Ryu lounged in the opposite seat. The Owl had eyes only for the cake, but the Eagle looked over at Joe and Jun, a small, sad smile of resignation on his face.

A year ago, Joe had barely remembered his birthday, as it had been spent in a filthy twenty dollar hotel room, staking out Galactor agents as they trafficked weapons from an abandoned warehouse. He had been alone, convinced that he could never rejoin the Science Ninja Team. The Condor wouldn't even have realized that it _was_ his birthday if he hadn't managed to pick up a newspaper that evening.

At that low point in his life, Joe would have been completely incapable of envisioning this warm, friendly scene, with his teammates passing on their good wishes and cheer.

A strange feeling surged through the Condor… one that not too long ago he would have had a hard time describing. But now, the name for this emotion came readily to mind, as it had been one he had experienced often, of late.

_Happiness_.

Joe knew that he owed these feelings entirely to Jun. Not only had she brought love into his life, she had also helped him see that shutting out the rest of the team wasn't doing _anyone_ any good, least of all himself. Every day, the Condor thanked whatever twist of fate had allowed him to get close to the Swan. He looked at her now, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed with excitement, drawing her close for a tender kiss.

Ryu whistled and Jinpei hooted at the sight.

"Say, Jun, is that what _I'm_ going to get on _my_ birthday?" the Owl grinned, as the Swan attempted to swat him from across the table.

"Watch me wrap your present with my Aurora Ribbon!" she threatened teasingly, holding up her fist for emphasis.

"Yeah, and she'll bake you a cake that looks like your Gripper!" Jinpei quipped, artfully dodging a smack aimed at him from across Joe's body.

Ken remained silent, appreciating the jocular, easygoing atmosphere, but not feeling comfortable joining in just yet. Jun and Joe had been 'public' with their relationship for three weeks now, but the Eagle still hadn't entirely managed to put his feelings for the Swan aside. He supposed that some part of him never would. Still, the team was working together now just as well as ever, if not better. Ken knew that in the long run, what he had done was right, but he was still coming to terms with the concept of no longer being the most important person in Jun's life.

Still, Ken had come to an understanding with Joe. When he saw how happy his best friend was, he couldn't regret that. He had never seen Joe look so… content. It was not a word he had ever associated with the Condor before.

"So… are we going to cut the cake?" Ryu asked hopefully, a familiar gleam in his eye.

"_You_ didn't make this cake, did you Onechan?" Jinpei asked nervously.

"When did I have the time?" Jun laughed. "We've been chasing Galactor around Iropa for the past few days! No, Jinpei, I got this cake from the bakery down the street."

"Then, there's no reason not to dig in!" Ryu exclaimed happily, as Jun rolled her eyes.

The cake was Devil's Food, thickly covered with a thick, fudgy icing. Joe began cutting slices and passing them around the table, making sure that Ryu had a generously sized piece.

"How did you know that chocolate was my favorite?" Joe winked at Jun.

"Oh, I know lots of things…." she purred back.

"I think I'm losing my appetite." Jinpei groaned playfully.

"I guess I'll just have to eat your cake, then." Ryu offered.

"No way!" the Swallow drew his plate closer to his body in a protective pose.

The five friends laughed and talked for another hour, enjoying each other's company, and the temporary reprieve they had all been granted. As the party wound down, Ryu left, taking Jinpei with him for the night, after sending a sly wink Joe's way. Ken stayed for a few moments to help Jun clean up. The Swan went into the kitchen to wash the dishes, giving the Eagle and the Condor a moment alone.

"You really care for her, don't you?" Ken asked, so softly that Joe barely heard him.

"Yes." Joe nodded. "She's… Jun is one of a kind. I'll never find anyone else who understands me so well."

"I know how you feel." Ken replied quietly, staring at his hands. "I can see that you make each other happy."

"What about _you_, Ken?" Joe asked suddenly.

"Nothing's really changed, I guess." Ken shrugged. "I didn't have her before, and I don't have her now."

"It's not quite that simple." Joe said. But Ken did not respond. They finished cleaning up in silence, and Ken prepared to leave.

"Happy Birthday, Joe." the Eagle said, holding out his hand to the Condor.

"Thanks, Ken." Joe replied, taking his hand and clasping his friend's shoulder.

Ken smiled briefly, then turned and left the Snack, walking out alone into the night.

Behind him, Joe shut and locked the door, then pulled down all of the blinds.

By the time Jun returned, the bar had been cleaned up, and the lights dimmed. A slow song was playing on the jukebox.

"So, when do _we_ get to celebrate my birthday?" Joe drawled, drawing her into his arms and onto the dance floor.

"Now sounds good to me." Jun smiled, placing her hands on the back of his neck. "I guess you're ready for your birthday spankings, then."

"First things first, my naughty Swan." Joe chided her. "Although I have to admit, the thought of your hands on my bare…"

He never finished his statement, as he was interrupted by Jun's lips on his. A slow warmth spread through his body as he pulled her closer to him, enjoying the feel of her pressed against him.

They danced for some time, snuggling together, trading long, slow kisses, and just enjoying each other's company. But inevitably, the heat between them finally reached the point where Jun felt she could hold back no longer. Carefully, she pulled away slightly, tugging Joe's hand toward the stairs.

"Coming?" she grinned invitingly.

"Well…" Joe drawled, pulling her back into his arms. "This _is_ a special occasion…"

Jun arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at the Condor.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

"I've always had this fantasy about you…" Joe replied, grinning wickedly at her. "… here, in the bar…"

"_Here_?" Jun's expression of shock gave way to one of thoughtful contemplation.

"Let me convince you…" he suggested, laughing at her confusion.

Carefully, Joe picked up Jun, bringing her over to a barstool. Once she was seated he ran his fingers through her hair, bringing her mouth to his in a teasing promise of what was to come.

Jun smiled at him flirtatiously while kicking off her shoes, and suddenly Joe felt the urge to take her then and there, no matter his plans. But carefully, the Condor forced those thoughts away, preferring to take his time with his perfect Swan.

He pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it behind the bar the moment it left her body. Again, he brought his lips to hers, but then moved his mouth down her jaw, inhaling her heady scent as he moved down her neck and to her shoulder.

Slowly, Joe turned the stool while remaining in place, allowing his kisses to encircle Jun, winding a sensuous stream of desire around her as his mouth traveled down her body. Jun sighed, giving herself over to him completely as he tasted her sweet, satiny skin, smoothing his hand over her soft curves even as he covered every inch of her bare flesh with his kisses.

It seemed an eternity that Jun sat there, her body melting as Joe worshipped every part of her, turning her at his leisure and sending a slow, fiery thrill through her veins. His fingers ran over her torso, tickling, stroking, and slipping just inside the waistband of her capris. He ran his thumbs around her waist, and as he kissed her back, his finger reached for the clasp of her pants.

"Oh, no!" Jun protested, swinging the stool back around to face him. "Not yet!"

Joe gave her a devilish look, but temporarily ceased his actions.

"What did you have in mind?" he smiled suggestively.

"Your turn." Jun cooed, swiftly pulling his number two shirt over his head. She pressed her lips to the hollow of Joe's throat, feeling his pulse fluttering underneath her mouth.

"It's _your_ birthday." the Swan whispered. "You deserve some fun too."

"I was unwrapping my present when you stopped me for your little side trip."

"Patience, patience… haven't you ever heard of party games?"

"I'd love to see what you have in mind."

"Then shut up and let me concentrate."

"Jun, _you're_ the one who started talk…"

The Swan silenced him with a quick kiss, then returned to her previous intentions. As he had done with her, Jun explored every inch of his upper body with her mouth; her lips and tongue whispering over the hard muscles and firm flesh that were the quintessential makeup of the Condor.

Her light touch put almost no pressure on his skin, and yet Joe felt as if he were being battered and bruised, as her kisses soaked into his body and settled into his veins, where they burned like liquid fire. When Jun's tongue lightly brushed his navel he groaned, pushing her away from him.

"Back to _my_ turn." Joe growled threateningly, causing a self-satisfied giggle to escape from Jun's throat.

He pulled her off the barstool, slipping one palm behind her back and down into her pants to cup her bottom. The other palm moved over her flat stomach, sliding into the front of her capris as Joe bent down and unfastened the button with his teeth. Slowly, he moved his hands around, drawing the garment gently over her hips. Joe's mouth blazed a trail of kisses from Jun's inner thigh, down past her knee, to her calf and ankle as he pulled off her pants. He moved to her other leg, making his way back up, even as he quickly divested himself of his remaining clothing.

When he reached the top of her leg, Joe placed a gentle kiss at the junction of her thighs, brushing against the thin cotton of her underwear. He smirked as Jun gasped and clutched the edge of the stool for support, then kissed her again.

This time, Joe's lips were scorching, and Jun moaned as desire shot through her. The Condor knew where she needed to be touched, and he found the core of her passion with the same accuracy he displayed when throwing his feather shuriken. The Swan's breath tore through the air, jagged gasps punctuated with small moans as he pleasured her through the thin garment. Joe's tongue teased her aching flesh, even as his hands cupped her bottom, stroking and tantalizing, slipping inside her panties to stroke her swollen femininity, before finally pulling them off to expose her burning skin to the cool air.

The sensation overwhelmed her, and Jun found herself soaring, completing her ardor as Joe greedily drank of her passion, devouring her lust as quickly as it manifested itself. The Swan sighed, collapsing onto the bar behind her, but for the Condor there was no respite. He stood up, and she crushed his hard length between her soft thighs, nearly unmanning him as he removed her bra.

"Damn, Jun… I need you…" It was so difficult holding back, and suddenly he didn't want to anymore.

"So go ahead." she suggested coquettishly. "Don't wait…"

He still struggled, wanting desperately to prolong the moment, but finding himself unable to do so.

"Are you telling me that the mighty Condor can't perform more than once in a night?" the Swan teased.

That did it.

"You're going to be sorry for that." Joe growled.

"I'm looking forward to it." Jun smiled back, sighing softly as he turned her around, pressing her front onto the bar as he pulled her bottom toward him over the stool, so he could enter her body.

"Oh… Joe!" she cried, clutching at the edge of the counter, while his mouth nuzzled the soft skin of her neck and his hands caressed her breasts.

The Condor could hold back no longer. He moved quickly, re-igniting the Swan's desires and satisfying his own. Joe felt Jun clasping him tightly, as her feminine passage welcomed his male presence. He had never felt more a part of her, nor been buried so deep within her affections.

"Jun!"

Joe's body felt as tight as a coiled spring, and suddenly its tensions exploded in a shaking spasm of lust. Jun's body pressed back against him, merging with his form as her own desires took her.

Gradually, their hearts slowed, returning to a normal pace as their muscles relaxed and a delicious feeling of satisfaction crept through them.

"Joe… " Jun said drowsily, "that was incredible…"

"I'm not finished yet." Joe reminded her. "Weren't you the one suggesting more games?"

"Oh…" Jun smiled as turned around to face him. "Now I'm in for it…"

"You certainly are." Joe growled threateningly, lifting her bottom as she shrieked playfully, before depositing it on top of the bar. Jun rolled over onto her side, lying on top of the counter, smiling at him sensuously, a thick lock of ebony hair falling across her cheek.

"I can hardly wait." she purred.

Joe kissed her on the tip of her nose, then stood up, walking to the other side of the room and returning. He was carrying something in his hands, which Jun had trouble seeing in the dim light, but she laughed when he finally returned.

"Your cake? Have I made you hungry?" she winked.

"Oh yes." Joe drawled. "I'm very hungry. And I'm in the mood for something _sweet_…"

Nearly half of the large cake remained, and the Condor set it down near Jun's body, scooping up a fingerful of thick, chocolate icing and holding it teasingly over the Swan. Jun's eyes opened wide, not truly understanding what he had in mind, but excited all the same by the possibilities whirling through her imagination.

Casually, Joe smeared the icing over Jun's left breast as she gasped in surprise. The cool, sticky confection was a shock to her warm, smooth skin. Joe bent his head down, licking at the chocolate and grinning wickedly as she shivered from the contact.

Carefully, the Condor worked at his task, meticulously devouring the treat; the mixture of chocolate and the Swan's satin flesh combining to create the most sinful dessert he had ever tasted. Jun quivered and moaned under this treatment, having never imagined that the cake she had so innocently purchased would end up being enjoyed in quite this manner.

A sharp stab of disappointment filled Jun when Joe finished, but to her delight he scooped up another fingerful of icing, lavishing her right breast with the same treatment that he had given her left. She clutched at the edges of the counter, throwing her head back on the bar as she mewled with the incredible sensations he was evoking within her.

When he had finished, Joe kissed her lightly with a devilish expression on his face.

"Now…" he teased, "I'm in the mood for something _spicy_."

He buried his head between her thighs, finding that his attentions had already caused her passions to rise again. He savored the moment, enjoying the taste of her womanhood as it mingled with the chocolate on his tongue.

Jun's fingers wound themselves through Joe's hair, gripping it tightly as her body surrendered, over and over again, to the Condor's demands. Each time she felt as if she could give no more, he coaxed it from her, and every capitulation was sweeter than the last.

Finally, Joe had had enough of this game, and he moved back up to kiss Jun's mouth.

"And now…" he taunted her.

"And now," Jun said firmly as she sat up, "_I'm_ hungry."

The Swan pushed the Condor back down onto the bar, and scooped up a generous amount of icing in her own hand.

"Hmmmm…." she murmured, waving it tantalizingly over his naked body. "Where should I…"

Her eyes lit upon his male length, already saluting her with his passion.

"Yes…" Jun purred. "That will do nicely."

Slowly, she spread the icing around his masculinity, pausing only to lick the chocolate teasingly from her fingers when she had finished. Joe's eyes followed her every move, his nerves screaming in anticipation of the punishment the Swan was about to inflict.

The pink tip of the Swan's tongue slipped out of her mouth, licking her lips as she contemplated how best to approach this task. Tentatively, she swept her tongue around the base of his length, and was rewarded with a small moan of pleasure from the Condor. Encouraged, she continued on, slowly making her way upward, stroking and caressing him in a manner that had him gritting his teeth and fighting to hold on, despite the culmination of their passions not long before.

After enduring this excruciating agony for an eternity, Jun reached the tip of his maleness, and Joe sighed gratefully when she took him in her mouth, finishing her task by ensuring that nothing of the chocolate had been left behind. She hadn't thought it possible, but Joe's lusts had continued to grow under her tender care, until the Condor growled in protest.

"Now it's _my_ turn." he insisted, sitting up and pulling Jun into his lap, carefully placing her body over top of his manhood, silently exulting as he entered her.

Jun sighed, leaning her head on Joe's shoulder as he buried his face in her hair. Slowly they rocked together, Jun wrapping her legs around Joe's waist to allow him the greatest access to her womanhood.

"_Joe_!"

Her voice was full of the passion and love she had for him, and at that moment the sound of if excited him more than the physical intimacy they were experiencing.

"_Jun_!"

He gasped as her body shuddered, rippling around his length even as he flooded her with the very essence of life. Never before had he felt so connected, in both body and spirit, to another human being.

They soared together for a long moment, connected in the most intimate fashion, knowing that they had each brought the other to this wonderful place, where time and love stood still.

Slowly, they descended back to reality together, where Jun found herself facing Joe as his body covered her own.

"_Cara mia… ti amo…_ Jun…" his words tickled at her ears; their meaning tugging at her heart.

"I love you too, Joe." she whispered, their emotions binding them together more intimately than their physical actions.

The Condor leaned back slightly, looking the Swan in the eyes.

"Ever since I was… altered…" he whispered, "I've felt like I was destined to die: that I was fated to give my life to revenge myself on Galactor."

Jun opened her mouth to speak, but Joe shook his head.

"I didn't have anything to _live_ for," he continued, "only something to _die_ for. But now…"

Joe reached up, softly tracing Jun's face from her forehead, past her temple and cheek, and down to her mouth.

"Now I have _you_." he said huskily. "You are _everything_ to live for."

A tear glimmered in Jun's eye, and as she blinked it fell softly onto her cheek, only to be kissed away by Joe's tender lips.

"No tears." he whispered. "Not for us."

"I always knew that there was something inside of you." Jun sighed, "Something that had given up… that had abandoned the thought of a life with the rest of us. I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that you've let that go, to return with me."

"I will always return to you." Joe promised. "I will always be here." The Condor's fingers brushed the tender skin over the Swan's heart.

"And I will always be with you." she vowed, pressing herself against him.

"Happy Birthday, Joe."


End file.
